wax on cheeses

[scm1001]

Is the waxy stuff round most many european cheeses safe or good to eat? I heard that it was paraffin based and not considered healthy? In that case, what is is doing on my cheese?

[Xploder]

I asked my brother the chef and he said that it’s there strictly to keep the cheese from drying out and you probably shouldn’t eat it.

X

[Mangetout]

The red wax on Edam isn’t going to taste nice, I can’t imagine that it would actually be dangerous though, but I’m not sure if the OP might be talking about this or just the rind (like the white rind on Camenbert or Brie, which could, I suppose, be described as ‘waxy’), which definitely is edible (the best part of the cheese IMHO).

The reason it’s there is to keep the rind clean (so Edam has a nice clean yellow rind, whereas the velvety white rind on Camenbert (yum) is the product of mould growth on the surface.

[Mangetout]

(url=“http://msuinfo.ur.msstate.edu/alumnus/fall.97/12cheese.htm”](cite)

The technique of dipping the Edams in bright red wax, which minimized surface mold growth and made the cheese more attractive

[Mangetout]

(Oops)

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

As long as you’re talking about U.S. cheeses (can’t speak for European regulations)…

http://www.dussekwax.com/products/sw_coatings.html

A Brief History
Historically, low melt point paraffins were used for coating cheese. While these perfomed fairly well, there was some trouble with cracking of the wax and subsequent growth of mold. Today, we use high performace FDA conforming additives to produce more flexible and tougher cheese wax formulations.

Conforming to FDA regulations just means that the wax won’t kill you if you eat it.

However, I think it’s just generally understood that you’re not supposed to eat the wax, the same way you’re not supposed to eat the casing on some kinds of hard sausage.

[Popup]

All you might ever want to know about cheesemaking:
Introduction to Cheesemaking
quote:

The rinds of the cheeses are formed during the ripening process, many quite naturally. Some are created artificially. Rinds may be brushed, washed, oiled, treated with a covering of paraffin wax or simply not touched at all. Traditional Cheddars are wrapped around with a cotton bandage. The rind’s basic function is to protect the interior of the cheese and allow it to ripen harmoniously. Its presence thus affects the final flavor of the cheese. Salting plays an important role in rind formation. Heavily salted cheeses develop a thick, tough outer rind, typified by the Swiss range of cheeses. Cheddar, another natural rind cheese, is less salted than the Swiss varieties, and consequently has a much thinner rind.

(my highlighting)
My favourite Cheddar, for example, is bound with cotton, before covered in wax. Eating that would be like eating chocolat wrappers, but with more fiber.
Camembert and Munster on the other hand have a natural rind that is Yummy, just llke Mangetout pointed out.

[scm1001]

thanks for the replies. I will eat my cheeses now feeling a lot safer. What prompted me to write in was that paraffin oils and hydocarbon solvents (which are closely related to the waxes) are known to be somewhat harmful. Tracked down this link (http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v30je14.htm) which shows the waxes to be very safe.
Bon appetit

[nerv]

Hey, you can make candles from cheese wax. You get some interesting colours, but they’re a bit smelly. (Honest, I’ve done it.)

[Mr.Miskatonic]

*Originally posted by scm1001 *
**Is the waxy stuff round most many european cheeses safe or good to eat? I heard that it was paraffin based and not considered healthy? In that case, what is is doing on my cheese? **

I am reminded of an old Gilbert Godfried routine in which he discussed wether or not to eat the wax on cheese"

“You didn’t eat the hard black wax? Ya gotta eat the hard black wax! The hard black wax is the best part of the cheese”

“You can’t eat the hard black wax! How could you be so stupid as to eat the hard black wax!”

Its funnier when you hear it I guess.

[Smeghead]

So that stuff on American cheese slices is supposed to be removed before eating?!

Wow, that tastes much better!