theBlock/Shredded Cheese Controversy

[micocina]

I have a customer that only eats "organic" food and she is very cautious about everything. When I did her show, I shared with her guests that buying block cheese was better than the shredded. For one it's more economical and another reason (tip I got from here) is that there is a preservative added to shredded cheese that keeps it from clumping. Well, she did her own research on this and she just got back to me saying that there was nothing to back me up on this, therefore, it is considered safe and now she wants to return the Ultimate Grater because she won't be needing it.

Do any of you have something to back up the added preservative/wax or whatever it was said that the shredded cheese has?

 

[beckypchef]

I'm leaving a message with my sister who is taking many classes on this type information at NC State, she eats only organic also and is a vegetarian so I'll post as soon as I hear back from her tonight!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

I found online that most shredded cheeses do have some additive to keep it from molding, getting moist and from clumping...nothing from an actual cheese website however. I'll keep looking...

 

[micocina]

Thanks, Ladies. I'm sure your feedback will help us all.

 

[cathyskitchen]

Here's a reference website, not sure if it will help or not: http://www.sargentofoodingredients.com/AboutUs/faqs.php

And, it's not "wax" added to shredded cheese, but cellulose. Personally, I wouldn't want to add anything to my cheese - it's fine the way it is without added ingredients to prevent clumping. But, if your customer still wants to buy the shredded stuff and wants to return her Mandoline or Cheese Grater b/c of that, then I say let her. It's better customer service - remember, "the customer is always right", even when we know we are.

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Method of treating a divided cheese product for anticaking Document Type and Number:United States Patent 5626893 Link to this page:Method of treating a divided cheese product for anticaking - Patent 5626893 Abstract:An anticaking agent which reduces the stickiness of the chunked, diced, or shredded cheese and improves the functionality of cheese is formulated of fine mesh vegetable flour, bentonite, cellulose, and antimycotic agents or bacterial cultures. This anticaking agent also will reduce the yeast and mold growth. This discovery is also extended to include various flavors, colors, enzymes and other supplements into the anticaking agent, to ultimately add to the cheese.

Found that on a patent website- someone was applying for a patent on the above product...

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Cooking For Engineers

read down to the third paragraph I believe...

 

[urbnk8]

Cooking For Engineers

read down to the third paragraph I believe...

Maybe I missed something but this was a recipe for lasagna?

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Maybe I missed something but this was a recipe for lasagna?

Yes, but it spoke about why she won't use shredded cheese because of the additives in it to prevent clumping... It is somewhere in the 3rd paragraph I believe.

 

[gothim0802]

1. Pre-shredded cheese costs more than a block of cheese.

2. You can get almost 4 C. of shredded cheese if you shred an 8 oz. block yourself, but if you buy an 8oz. bag, you only get 2 C.

3. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t taste as good or melt as good as a block of cheese you grate yourself.

4. As soon as you shred cheese, it begins to lose nutritional value.

5. If you store a block of cheese in aluminum foil in the refrigerator, (no plastic) it will last for weeks - as opposed to a bag of pre-shredded that only lasts 3-5 days.

6. PRE-SHREDDED CHEESE HAS AN INGREDIENT: CELLULOSE……… A NON-CAKING AGENT THAT IS IN A LOT OF FOOD – THAT IS MADE FROM WOOD PULP – BASICALLY COATED IN SAWDUST………
Cellulose is found in plants as microfibrils. These form the structurally strong framework in the cell walls. Cellulose is mostly prepared from wood pulp. (http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/hycel.htmL).
7. Our Deluxe Cheese Grater allows you to grate all kinds of cheeses directly over the bowl/pizza/casserole w/out grating your knuckles and finger nails!
8. If you are grating soft cheese: cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, etc.; Cut the piece for the grater and leave it out at room temp for 15 min. or so, OR put it in the microwave for 8 sec. It won’t melt, but it will pull the oils to the surface of the cheese and make it easier to grate.


These are the tips I received from my director. I really hope it helps you out. Jenny

 

[urbnk8]

Yes, but it spoke about why she won't use shredded cheese because of the additives in it to prevent clumping... It is somewhere in the 3rd paragraph I believe.

Oh, now I see it!:blushing: I checked twice before and still somehow missed it! Thanks!

 

[micocina]

Document not Found

1. Pre-shredded cheese costs more than a block of cheese.

2. You can get almost 4 C. of shredded cheese if you shred an 8 oz. block yourself, but if you buy an 8oz. bag, you only get 2 C.

3. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t taste as good or melt as good as a block of cheese you grate yourself.

4. As soon as you shred cheese, it begins to lose nutritional value.

5. If you store a block of cheese in aluminum foil in the refrigerator, (no plastic) it will last for weeks - as opposed to a bag of pre-shredded that only lasts 3-5 days.

6. PRE-SHREDDED CHEESE HAS AN INGREDIENT: CELLULOSE……… A NON-CAKING AGENT THAT IS IN A LOT OF FOOD – THAT IS MADE FROM WOOD PULP – BASICALLY COATED IN SAWDUST………
Cellulose is found in plants as microfibrils. These form the structurally strong framework in the cell walls. Cellulose is mostly prepared from wood pulp. (http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/hycel.htmL).
7. Our Deluxe Cheese Grater allows you to grate all kinds of cheeses directly over the bowl/pizza/casserole w/out grating your knuckles and finger nails!
8. If you are grating soft cheese: cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, etc.; Cut the piece for the grater and leave it out at room temp for 15 min. or so, OR put it in the microwave for 8 sec. It won’t melt, but it will pull the oils to the surface of the cheese and make it easier to grate.


These are the tips I received from my director. I really hope it helps you out. Jenny

The link you provided says Document Not Found

 

[chefann]

1. Pre-shredded cheese costs more than a block of cheese.

2. You can get almost 4 C. of shredded cheese if you shred an 8 oz. block yourself, but if you buy an 8oz. bag, you only get 2 C.
If you shred your own cheese and get a different yield than 4 oz. = 1 cup, you should base your cheese usage on the weight.

3. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t taste as good or melt as good as a block of cheese you grate yourself.
This statement is opinion, rather than fact. I've found that cheese I've shredded actually melts poorly because it starts to separate rather than melt smoothly.

4. As soon as you shred cheese, it begins to lose nutritional value.
Really? How would it "know"? It's not a plant that loses nutrients when you break the cell walls. I don't see how cutting cheese into little pieces (which is all shredding really is) would affect the nutrients any more than leaving it in a block, although it will dry out more readily in small pieces because there's more surface area.

5. If you store a block of cheese in aluminum foil in the refrigerator, (no plastic) it will last for weeks - as opposed to a bag of pre-shredded that only lasts 3-5 days.
I've got a bag of pre-shredded cheese in my fridge that's been there for 3 weeks and is still good. And I've bought block cheese that was still weeks from the use by date and went ballistic with mold.

6. PRE-SHREDDED CHEESE HAS AN INGREDIENT: CELLULOSE……… A NON-CAKING AGENT THAT IS IN A LOT OF FOOD – THAT IS MADE FROM WOOD PULP – BASICALLY COATED IN SAWDUST………
Cellulose is found in plants as microfibrils. These form the structurally strong framework in the cell walls. Cellulose is mostly prepared from wood pulp. (http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/hycel.htmL).
Cellulose is PLANT fiber. It's the same fiber that's found in vegetables of all kinds. Telling your customers that they're eating sawdust is a little misleading.

7. Our Deluxe Cheese Grater allows you to grate all kinds of cheeses directly over the bowl/pizza/casserole w/out grating your knuckles and finger nails!
8. If you are grating soft cheese: cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, etc.; Cut the piece for the grater and leave it out at room temp for 15 min. or so, OR put it in the microwave for 8 sec. It won’t melt, but it will pull the oils to the surface of the cheese and make it easier to grate.


These are the tips I received from my director. I really hope it helps you out. Jenny

I've addressed some specific points above.

This topic is one of those things that people believe what they believe, and they aren't going to be swayed one way or another. So you might as well keep your customer happy and take back her grater. (Or give her the number to the solution center and let her handle it.)

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I am extremely careful about the foods I buy and feed my family. I have studied and researched the whole grated vs. block cheese deal, and can find no real issue, other than convenience vs. price. Sometimes (and only sometimes) the block cheese is cheaper.

Around here, I can even buy pre-grated organic cheese...and I don't even own a DCG anymore. At least, not a whole one...

And I always tell my hosts to go ahead and buy grated cheese, because there's no point in people watching me grate cheese - everyone know how to do it.

 

[beckypchef]

This doesn't really go with the powder placed on the cheese... but since we are talking about cheeses I really wanted to post this:
Rennet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
has anyone heard of Rennet, it is an additive that is in SOME cheeses, but its comes in 4 varieties 2 of which are of from vegetable bases but the other is veal stomach.
Just thought I'd share... I know it doesn't sound yummy to me.

 

[chefann]

Natural rennet (from stomachs) is how cheese has been made for thousands of years. In fact, the theory about the very first cheese is that someone put milk into a waterbag made from a fairly fresh animal stomach for a trip across the desert. The heat and motion, combined with the rennet from the stomach, caused a rudimentary cheese (like cottage cheese or ricotta) to form.

 

[janetupnorth]

About 3 years ago or so, this was a thing mentioned to consultants because I remember my recruiter being really big on it at shows. She got it from whatever weekly bites was at the time or product tips.

 

[jbdowd0798]

Ann you Rock!! You have all the answers and I appreciate that you don't give them with the 'know it all' attitude! THANK YOU! :-D

 

[janetupnorth]

Forgot about this: http://www.sargentocheese.com/aboutus/faq.jspHere are some things from Sargento that I had posted last time this topic came up.

 

[erinyourpclady]

Mmmmmmm cheese. I think I will go and do a taste test real quick...pre-shredded vs block.

 

[niccibyrd]

So basically the only argument for block over shredded is price (sometimes)?

 

[micocina]

I glady handled my customers return when she first brought it up and without any hesitation, but I just wanted to get more educated on this subject because I don't want to be giving the wrong info at my shows.

I kind of feel really dumb:grumpy: now that their is really not anything that backs up what we've been told. Perhaps we should do more research on the tips that we give our customers.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

I am very price-conscious, and I have NEVER been able to justify the explanation that a block costs more than a bag. They are exactly the same. 8 ounces of cheese is 8 ounces of cheese ... and when they are on sale, they are usually lumped together.I have never been able to shred cheese effectively in the Mandoline anyway.I prefer to use the mandoline for other items which I have mastered ... like tomatoes, citrus and peppers. When I do shred, I prefer parmesean using the microplane grater.

 

[pamperedlinda]

I always thought that 8 oz shredded was by volume and 8 oz block was by weight - thus the reason you can get more cheese from a block than from a bag.

 

[AZPampered Chef]

So basically the only argument for block over shredded is price (sometimes)?

I believe the biggest argument for block cheese is flavor....my 10-year old absolutely will not eat preshredded, bagged cheese and while I'm not that picky, I do agree that freshly shredded cheese tastes so much better.

I always talk about this when I use the Microplane Grater to grate parmesan at my shows...there is quite a difference between freshly grated cheese and cheese that has been pre-grated.

 

[chefshawna]

I believe the biggest argument for block cheese is flavor....my 10-year old absolutely will not eat preshredded, bagged cheese and while I'm not that picky, I do agree that freshly shredded cheese tastes so much better.

I always talk about this when I use the Microplane Grater to grate parmesan at my shows...there is quite a difference between freshly grated cheese and cheese that has been pre-grated.

See, I agree that parmesan is better fresh grated, however, my husband refuses to eat it and actually prefers that out of the can!

 

[bsaxman]

BLOCK CHEESE just tastes better, in my opinion. Also when I buy any food I check the ingredients. The simpler the ingredients the better. If it has too many things that I can't pronounce, I try to steer clear.

 

[heather223]

I prefer the block cheese. I think it has better flavor and melts better, but that is just me. :chef:

 

[jenne]

I have a very close friend who cannot eat the pre-shredded bagged cheese because she is allergic to something in the anti-caking agent. She handles block cheese just fine. She watched her diet very closely and narrowed her migraines down to a few things....MSG, Yellow #something or other, and the powder in pre-shredded cheese. If she eats something with pre-shredded cheese in it, she will inevitably get a migraine....so I don't believe there is nothing different about the anti-caking agent...I still buy pre-shredded cheese because I find it to be cheaper than the block cheese, but if I know that I am bringing something where my friend will be eating, I try to remember to purchase a block and shred it myself.