Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Natural vs Processed Cheese - Facts and Myths

If you want to study the market of milk products in India in careful detail; there are two types of cheeses available in the market "Processed" and "Natural" cheese. In India, most of the commercial market has very little truly "Natural" cheese. After all, like Paneer and Dahi are the more common milk products used in India, "Cheese" as we use it every day is actually inspired from a typically European recipe!

Natural European Cheeses like "Blue" cheese is processed from curdling milk and then fermentation under strict traditional recipes. However, most of these naturally fermented cheeses are expensive to manufacture, and to be honest an acquired taste! Products sold by processed cheese manufacturers in India are actually manufactured in factories under strict quality control. Hence, the taste of any commercially available natural cheese in India is NOT what it is in Italy, Germany or France.

To argue the differences between Natural and Processed forms of cheese, we have to remember that only the best brands and processed cheese manufacturers in India will have the facilities and recipes to make large quantities of Natural Cheese in India, Natural varieties are rare to come across, and even these are treated to the Indian palate for their taste.

The core factor between Processed and Natural Cheeses are that there are no preservatives or flavors used in Natural varieties! The biggest processed cheese manufacturers in India will have the right facilities to manufacture this kind of milk product. Since these are naturally fermented without preservatives, their taste and use in cooking are also distinct from processed cheeses.

Mozzarella is a common type of cheese used extensively in India for making pizza - both commercial and gourmet kinds. Most commercial kinds are processed cheeses, while some of the biggest brands will have Mozzarella as a natural cheese in India! Abroad, most of the cheeses used are natural cheeses, and very few people would actually enjoy the "Natural" Mozzarella used in Europe. The taste of European cheeses may be too strong since the natural fermentation and the absence of any flavors leaves a strong smell!

Processed cheese manufacturers in India who sell brands marked as "Natural" cheese have to adjust this strong taste of fermentation to a milder flavor for Indian palates. This is why any natural cheese in India is quite distinct from imported natural cheese. Processed cheese on the other hand is marked and labeled with the exact kind of preservatives and additives used, and taste very distinct from "Natural" kinds. However, remember that both are used in extensively in India, and it's a matter of personal taste!

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