What is the diff between cheese food and cheese product?

Question

Also what is imitation cheese food and cheese product.

Answer 1

"Labels
Labels on natural cheese, pasteurized process cheese, and related products carry important descriptive information. The name of a natural cheese will appear as the variety, such as "Cheddar cheese," "Swiss cheese," or "Blue cheese."

Pasteurized process cheese labels will always include the words "pasteurized process," together with the name of the variety or varieties of cheese used -- for example, "pasteurized process American cheese" or "pasteurized process Swiss and American cheese."

Cheese food also contains ingredients other than cheese and therefore is labeled as "pasteurized process cheese food." Cheese spreads have a different composition from cheese foods and are labeled as "pasteurized process cheese spread." All the ingredients used in the preparation of these products are listed on the respective labels along with the kinds or varieties of cheese used in the mixture. Also, the milkfat and moisture content may be shown."

FYI, "processed cheese" is not necessarily a bad thing. Any blend of different cheeses is labelled "processed cheese."

http://www.ams.usda.gov/howtobuy/cheese.htm

More from same site:
"Pasteurized Process Cheese
Pasteurized process cheese is a blend of fresh and aged natural cheeses that have been shredded, mixed and heated (pasteurized), after which no further ripening occurs. It melts easily when reheated. The blend may consist of one or more varieties of natural cheese and may contain pimentos, fruits, vegetables, or meats. Smoked cheese or smoke flavor may also be added.

The flavor of pasteurized process cheese depends largely on the flavor of the cheese used, and may be modified by flavorings added. Pasteurized Gruyere cheese has a nutsweet flavor, somewhat similar to Swiss.

Other available varieties are pasteurized process American cheese, pasteurized process Swiss cheese, pasteurized process Swiss cheese blended with American, and pasteurized process Brick cheese.

Process cheese is packaged in slices, 1/2-, 1-, 2-, and 5-pound loaves, and cut portions. It may be used in main dishes, for snacks and cheeseburgers, with cold cuts and salads, on grilled or toasted sandwiches, in numerous sandwich combinations, and in casseroles. All pasteurized process cheese products should be kept refrigerated after opening.

Pasteurized Process Cheese Food
Pasteurized process cheese food is prepared in much the same manner as process cheese, except that it contains less cheese, with nonfat dry milk, or whey solids and water added. This results in a lower milkfat content and more moisture than in process cheese. Pasteurized process cheese food also may contain pimentos, fruits, vegetables or meats, or may have a smoked flavor.

Cheese food has milder flavor and softer texture. It spreads more easily and melts more quickly than process cheese. The most popular variety is pasteurized process American cheese food, packaged in slices, rolls, links and loaves. It may be used any place where process cheese is used, although it is not likely to add as much cheese flavor."

Answer 2

Cheese food is what real cheese eats, and imitation cheese is what the baby swiss cheese play with when they play house and have tea parties and stuff. Cheese product is the result of real cheese eating cheese food, and is also found in the baby swiss diapers.

Answer 3

Well, we know cheese is a milk product, cultures are added, the curd is seperated from the whey and then they can do all sorts of different things to it.
Cheese food, is the above cheese with milk solids or some of the aforementioned whey added to it. It has to adhere to some percentage criteria like, 51% of it has to be real cheese.
Cheese product is the stuff that doesn't meet the above minimum criteria and is the stuff cheese wheez is made from.

Answer 4

Can cheese. No cheese food or cheese product for me.

Answer 5

Processed Cheese: Natural cheese, color, salt and emulsifiers plus optional ingredients.*

Processed Cheese Food: Same as Processed cheese, plus additional optional ingredients.**

* cream, anhydrous milkfat, dehydrated cream

** cream, milk, skim milk, buttermilk, cheese whey, any of the foregoing from which part of the water has been removed, anhydrous milkfat, dehydrated cream, albumin from cheese, whey and skim milk cheese for manufacturing.

Answer 6

cheese food is completely artificial, meaning that is contains no cheese whatsoever. Cheese products are derived in whole or in part from real cheese.

Answer 7

Imitation is made with oil.

Answer 8

I that puzzles you, wait till you run into "Cheezel"