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Frequently Asked Questions
Natural cheese (like Cheddar or Monterey Jack) is made by culturing milk with added enzymes into curds, then salting and pressing into form. Process cheese consists mainly of natural cheese that is blended and cooked with ingredients like cream and emulsifiers, which give the cheese its great melting properties.
We use fermentation produced or microbially derived enzymes in the manufacture of our cheeses, depending upon the specific product. We do not use animal-based enzymes in our cheese.
Any natural cheese (besides fresh cheese curds) will contain little to no lactose. Process cheese typically contains anywhere from 1% to 4% lactose.
In our yellow (colored) cheeses, we use either Annatto, Paprika, or Apo-Carotenal (beta-Carotene) to add color. These are derived from natural sources and are identified on the label by either the ingredient name or as “color added.”
All of our natural and process cheeses provide one (1) meat/meat alternate for every one (1) ounce of cheese.
Some higher moisture cheese varieties can be frozen and thawed with little or no impact on cheese texture and performance. However, lower moisture cheeses, like Cheddar, can become brittle on freezing. Generally, we don’t recommend freezing cheese, but if you do, thaw the cheese slowly in the refrigerator. Rapid thawing results in cheese texture changes and can stimulate mold growth.
Cheese should be stored refrigerated between 33-40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Our (203351) 2 lb. Melting Cheese is our only cheese that can be stored outside of refrigeration, but it should be refrigerated once opened. Our reduced fat/reduced sodium cheese that is sold through government assistance programs must be kept refrigerated and if it is out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours it should NOT be eaten.
Mold is the visible growth of fungi on the cheese surface that occurs when cheese is mishandled or stored improperly (such as outside refrigeration temperatures) or if the cheese exceeds the code date on the package. Cheese having mold on it can be consumed, but only after cutting away moldy areas along with about ½ inch of the cheese around the moldy area. If mold is excessive (covering a very large area of the cheese surface), discard the cheese and purchase fresher product.
Make sure cheese is stored between 33-40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wrap cheese tightly when it is not in use.
Ensure that you always prep the cheese on a clean surface and use clean utensils.
Avoid freezing cheese and don’t thaw frozen cheese rapidly, as it causes condensation to form on the cheese surface allowing mold to grow quickly.
Due to your personal safety and the overall sanitation of the plant, Bongards no longer provides plant tours to the public.
