# American Cheese Outside USA? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209 "2003-10-08T03:13:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/1 "2003-10-08T03:13:09Z")
Does American cheese exist outside the USA? What do other countries call it? Just wondering… - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/2 "2003-10-08T03:15:37Z")
I don’t recall the term “American Cheese” ever being used in the UK. We have Kraft Cheese Slices, if that’s the same. Avoiding the company name, we’d call it “processed cheese” (when being polite). ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/3 "2003-10-08T03:27:30Z")
Kraft slices are NOT cheese. There is an actual American cheese, that’s a relative of cheddar. ---
**Author:** ![KenGr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecc23a/32.png) [@KenGr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KenGr)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/4 "2003-10-08T03:34:49Z")
Here is a description which I believe is correct: “American cheese is essentially young cheddar cheese, made of pasteurized cows’ milk, which then goes through a shredding and heating process. Various other dairy ingredients, such as dyes and emulsifiers, are added to create a smooth, mild, odorless, meltable, and stable product.” Basically it is just cheddar cheese but since it doesn’t have the aging, the characteristic cheddar taste (or in my opinion, any taste at all) is absent. The processing gives it improved qualities for storage and heating in cooking and a texture that, quite frankly, I find revolting. I have no idea whether we have imposed this on other countries other than Kraft processed American Cheese which is available in many countries. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/5 "2003-10-08T03:35:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*Kraft slices are NOT cheese. There is an actual American cheese, that’s a relative of cheddar. \*\* There may be, but the first three sites that came up on a Google search all define American cheese as being processed. [Here’s one.](http://www.foodsubs.com/Cheprocessed.html) > [@](#): > > American cheese = American cheese food = American pasteurized process cheese food ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/6 "2003-10-08T03:46:52Z")
Question: is American cheese that really **orange** cheddar stuff which I saw in the US? If so, we don’t have that in Australia. (Good thing, since it tasted like rubber bands, IMO.) ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/7 "2003-10-08T07:06:55Z")
“Processed cheese”, “Processed cheese food”, and “Processed cheese product” are different things. • Processed cheese contains only cheese and emulsifying salts. • Processed cheese _food_ is a blend to which nonfat dry milk or whey solids and water have been added. It is milder in flavor, softer in texture, and may contain as little as 51% cheese by weight. • Processed cheese _product_ contains less than 51% cheese ingredients and a maximum moisture content of 60%. American cheese is a Cheddar-like cheese that is by definition processed, to give it desired characteristics of uniformity, keeping quality, and ability to melt smoothly. American cheese is available in _all three_ of the forms listed above. Kraft Singles are American processed cheese product. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/8 "2003-10-08T07:09:33Z")
[hijack] Thanks heaven no. There’s a lot of great food in the US, but cheese ain’t one of them. Poor selection, awful taste. I’ve had American cheese, and it’s so foul, there is no reason for it to exist outside the US, except when catering to homesick Americans. Exception: that stuff on the Burgers from BK and McD [/HJ] ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/9 "2003-10-08T07:14:10Z")
The _Lone Star_ restaurant’s serve dishes with what I think they call _Monterey Jack_ which is an orange cheddar similar to _Red Leicester_. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/10 "2003-10-08T07:22:09Z")
[McDonald’s](http://www.mcdonalds.com/countries/usa/food/nutrition/categories/ingredients/index.html) uses only American cheese on their sandwiches, not American cheese food or American cheese product. Which accounts for the better flavor that **Gaspode** noticed. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/11 "2003-10-08T07:24:21Z")
Orange cheese just looks wrong. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/12 "2003-10-08T07:31:59Z")
Well not all American cheese is orange _Colby_ which has been adopted all over the place including New Zealand originated in Colby, Wisconsin. ---
**Author:** ![curly\_chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@curly\_chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curly_chick)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/13 "2003-10-08T07:33:27Z")
When I was in New York earlier this year, practically every deli I went into had, among its other cheese offerings: “Irish Swiss” cheese. Never seen that anywhere else, either. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/14 "2003-10-08T07:37:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by don’t ask \* > \*\*Well not all American cheese is orange _Colby_ which has been adopted all over the place including New Zealand originated in Colby, Wisconsin. \*\* Well if colby is American cheese then it’s hunky dory. Colby I love. Orange cheese i will continue to avoid. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/15 "2003-10-08T07:46:40Z")
Never heard of the stuff. When I was in Canada I saw spray-on-cheese-in-can. Fair dinkum. Now that has _got_ to be american\* cheese. \*yeah I know - ok North America then ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/16 "2003-10-08T08:00:00Z")
I had “Irish cheese” in London. Made in Dublin, though packaged differently from the “Irish cheese” I’ve seen recently in the US. Here in Oregon we make wonderful cheddars (some of which are orange, though not overly so). ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/17 "2003-10-08T08:03:49Z")
Colby comes from the States? I never knew that before. Cool. 🙂 Apparently from Wisconsin, **calm kiwi** , according to one site. I’m with you on the orange cheese bit. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/18 "2003-10-08T08:17:35Z")
American cheese? Oh of course, sir. It’s a CHEESE SHOP, sir! oh… Sorry guv’nor. We’re all out. Now that that’s off my chest, i’ve never seen it in Sydney. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/19 "2003-10-08T08:22:32Z")
There are many forms of processed cheese in all sorts of countries. France is famous for its “Laughing Cow” cheese. Italy is known for “Bel Paese.” America is not the sole title holder in this race. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209/20 "2003-10-08T09:25:11Z")
don’t ask writes: \> The Lone Star restaurant’s serve dishes with what I think they \> call Monterey Jack which is an orange cheddar similar to Red \> Leicester. Monterey Jack is white in my experience. There’s also a variety called Pepper Jack, which is Monterey Jack with tiny bits of peppers in it. This is pretty good for a processed cheese. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese-outside-usa/206209.md?page=2)