Editing Processed cheese (section)

=== United States ===
[[File:Hickory Farms Product.jpg|thumb|A gift pack containing several varieties of labeled process cheese.<br /><br /> Upper left: a "pasteurized process cheese food" and a "pasteurized processed cheese spread"<br /><br /> Upper center: a "pasteurized process cheese spread Havarti-type flavor"<br /><br /> Lowermost right: a "pasteurized process cheese food with jalapeño peppers"]]

In the United States, processed cheese is defined, categorized, and regulated by the [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) under the U.S. [[Code of Federal Regulations]] Title 21, Section 133 ("Cheeses and Cheese-Related Products"). Three of the main classes are:<ref name="Article133">{{cite web |url=https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-133#133.169 |title=21 CFR Part 133 - Cheeses and Related Cheese Products |website=Code of Federal Regulations}}</ref> 
;Pasteurized process cheese (§133.169)
:PPC is a product made from one or more cheeses (excluding certain cheeses such as [[cream cheese]] and [[cottage cheese]], but including [[American cheese]]){{efn|Under the U.S. [[Code of Federal Regulations]] Title 21, Article 133, Section 169 (Pasteurized process cheese), the allowed usage of the term "American Cheese" for certain types of "Pasteurized process cheese" is detailed. Specifically, in paragraph (e)(2)(ii) of section 133.169, it states, "In case it is made of cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, or granular cheese or any mixture of two or more of these, it may be designated 'Pasteurized process American cheese'; or when cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, granular cheese, or any mixture of two or more of these is combined with other varieties of cheese in the cheese ingredient, any of such cheeses or such mixture may be designated as 'American cheese'."}}, mixed with emusifying salts.
: Acceptable additives include acidifying agents, source of milkfat (cream, anhydrous milkfat, dehydrated cream), water, salt, artificial color, spices or flavorings (other than those simulating the flavor of cheese), and [[enzyme-modified cheese]]. PPC in consumer-sized packages can also include mold inhibitor and lecithin. Added milk fat must not exceed 5% by weight.
:In the final product, moisture must not be more than 41 percent of the weight, and fat content not less than 49 percent. The moisture and fat contents must also fall into the acceptable range for its source cheese(s).
;{{vanchor|Pasteurized process cheese food}} (§133.173)
:PPCF is made from one or more of the cheeses available for pasteurized process cheese composing not less than 51 percent of the final weight, mixed with one or more optional dairy ingredients such as cream, fluid milk, or whey.
: Acceptable additives include emulsifying salts, acidifying agents, water, salt, artificial color, spices or flavorings (other than those simulating the flavor of cheese), and [[enzyme-modified cheese]]. PPCF in consumer-sized packages can also include mold inhibitor and lecithin.
: The final solid form must be less than 44 percent moisture and have a fat content greater than 23 percent.
; Pasteurized process cheese spread (§133.179)
: PPCS is made similarly to pasteurized process cheese food but must be spreadable at {{convert|70|°F|°C}}. Moisture must be between 44 and 60 percent of the total weight, and fat content greater than 20 percent. [[Nisin]] may be added.

==== Use of unregulated terms ====
The FDA does not maintain a standard of identity for either "pasteurized prepared cheese product", a designation which particularly appears on many Kraft products, or "pasteurized process cheese product", a designation which appears particularly on many American store- and generic-branded singles. Since by using undefined terms the manufacturers technically avoid being accused of false labeling, products carrying such labels are free to use [[milk protein concentrate]] (MPC) in their formulations, an ingredient the FDA does not permit in processed cheese. The desire to use inexpensive imported milk protein concentrate to replace some of the cheese in their products is noted as motivation for the manufacturers to introduce these and similar terms, and for the relabeling of some products.<ref>[http://www.aae.wisc.edu/pubs/mpbpapers/pdf/mpb80.pdf "U.S. Imports of Concentrated Milk Proteins: What We Know and Don't Know?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624205008/https://aae.wisc.edu/pubs/mpbpapers/pdf/mpb80.pdf/ |date=24 June 2021 }}, Jesse, ''Marketing and Policy Briefing Paper No. 80,'' Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison Cooperative Extension, University of Wisconsin-Extension, February 2003. Accessed 8 February 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=23741 "What is 'Real Kraft Cheese'?"], ''Chicago Business'', 5 February 2007. Accessed 9 February 2010.</ref> After an [[FDA Warning Letter]] protesting Kraft's use of MPC in late 2002,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/2002/ucm145363.htm |title=Warning Letters: Kraft Foods North America, Inc. 18-Dec-02|work=[[US Food and Drug Administration]]|date=18 December 2002|archive-date=10 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110185442/https://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/2002/ucm145363.htm |access-date=7 April 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> some varieties of [[Kraft Singles]] formerly labeled "pasteurized process cheese food" became "pasteurized prepared cheese product", [[Velveeta]] was relabeled from "pasteurized process cheese spread" to "pasteurized prepared cheese product", and [[Easy Cheese]] from "pasteurized process cheese spread" to "pasteurized cheese snack".

<gallery class="center" caption="" widths="200px" heights="150px">
File:USDA Commodities Cheeses.jpg|[[Government cheese]] from 2023: a large chunk of American pasteurized process ''cheese'' and a small chunk of processed Cheddar ''cheese''
File:Swift's Brookfield American Pasteurized Cheese Food 1948.jpg|A 1948 U.S. advertisement for an American pasteurized cheese ''food''
File:Easy Cheese 5-21-09 IMG 4155 (3557182152).jpg|[[Easy Cheese]], a "pasteurized process cheese snack" (unregulated term), on a pretzel
File:Velveeta Cheese.JPG|[[Velveeta]], a "pasteurized prepared cheese product" (unregulated term)
File:2021-08-12 17 18 17 A jar of Kraft Cheez Whiz in the Franklin Farm section of Oak Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia.jpg|[[Cheez Whiz]], a "cheese dip" (unregulated term) commonly used for [[cheesesteak]]s
</gallery>