American Cheese is loved for its ability to melt into a smooth, creamy consistency. This property is no accident. The melting behaviour results from its specific formulation and processing methods. Let’s delve deeper into the science of why American Cheese melts so well.
SEE ALSO: Explore the polarising world of processed cheese products →
What is American Cheese?
American Cheese is a processed cheese product made from a blend of ingredients. It typically includes natural cheese, whey, milk solids, cream and emulsifiers. Unlike traditional cheese, which is made through fermentation and ageing, American cheese undergoes additional processing to create a consistent and stable product.
The origins of American Cheese can be traced to early attempts to improve cheese storage and texture. Today, it is manufactured using modern techniques that ensure uniform quality across batches. It is sold in individually wrapped slices, blocks or loaves, often labelled as “pasteurised process cheese” or “cheese food”.
Ingredients of American Cheese
- Natural cheese base: Aged cheeses like Cheddar or Colby often serve as the foundation. These are melted and blended during processing.
- Emulsifiers: Ingredients like sodium citrate or sodium phosphate stabilise the mixture, preventing separation when heated.
- Additional dairy products: Milk, cream or whey are added to adjust texture and flavour.
- Stabilisers and additives: Modified starches or gums enhance the cheese’s melting properties and shelf life.
- Salt and preservatives: These improve taste and prolong freshness.
Why American Cheese is so popular
American cheese is designed for versatility and convenience. Its ability to melt smoothly and evenly makes it a staple in fast food, particularly for burgers and grilled sandwiches. The mild flavour pairs well with many ingredients, and its long shelf life adds to its practicality.
While it is often criticised for being “less authentic” than traditional cheeses, its performance and ease of use have earned it a place in kitchens worldwide. Whether in classic comfort foods or quick snacks, American Cheese remains an indispensable ingredient.
Reasons why American Cheese is a spectacular melting cheese
As we mentioned above, American Cheese combines natural cheese, other dairy components, emulsifiers and stabilisers. The process creates a product with consistent melting properties. Let’s take a look at the individual characteristics on this process cheese product that make it an incredible and consistent melter.
1. Emulsifiers prevent separation
Emulsifiers are the unsung heroes of American Cheese, ensuring its smooth, creamy melt. Without them, heating cheese often leads to a messy separation of oil and protein solids. The inclusion of emulsifiers in American Cheese prevents this issue, creating a stable and cohesive melt.
Emulsifiers, such as sodium citrate or sodium phosphate, are chemical compounds that stabilise mixtures of fats and water. They work by acting as a bridge between these two incompatible substances. Fat molecules, which are hydrophobic, don’t naturally mix with water-based proteins. Emulsifiers bind to both, allowing them to blend seamlessly.
In American Cheese, emulsifiers hold the fats and proteins together, even when heated. This prevents the cheese from breaking apart into greasy pools of oil and solid clumps, a common problem with some natural cheeses.
2. High moisture content aids melting
One of the key reasons American cheese melts so well is its high moisture content. This characteristic plays a crucial role in lowering its melting point, ensuring it softens and spreads quickly when exposed to heat.
Moisture is a vital component of any cheese, influencing its texture, softness and melting behaviour. High-moisture cheeses melt faster and more evenly than low-moisture varieties. In American Cheese, the moisture level is carefully controlled during processing. This ensures a consistently soft and pliable product that melts beautifully.
Water acts as a medium, allowing heat to distribute evenly throughout the cheese. This prevents the proteins from tightening too quickly, which can cause clumping or grittiness. Instead, the cheese becomes a smooth, flowing liquid.
3. Fine protein structure ensures smoothness
The smooth, creamy melt of American Cheese can also be credited to its finely dispersed protein structure. Unlike natural cheeses, where protein networks form naturally during ageing, the proteins in American Cheese are restructured during processing. This creates a looser, more uniform matrix that melts seamlessly when heated.
In natural cheeses, milk proteins—primarily casein—form dense networks that trap fat and water. Over time, these networks become more rigid as the cheese ages, resulting in firmer textures. When melted, aged cheeses often clump or become gritty because their tightly bonded proteins don’t break down evenly.
In American Cheese, the processing method disrupts the natural protein network. Proteins are broken down and then recombined in a way that ensures they are evenly distributed. This controlled restructuring eliminates clumping and promotes a silky texture when the cheese melts.
4. Lower fat levels improve consistency
The moderate fat content in American Cheese plays a significant role in its ability to melt evenly and consistently. While natural cheeses with high fat content can provide rich flavours and textures, they often suffer from instability when heated. By keeping fat levels in check, American cheese avoids these common melting pitfalls.
Fat is a key component of cheese, contributing to its flavour, texture and melting behaviour. When cheese is heated, its fat molecules melt and separate from the protein network. In high-fat cheeses, this can result in an oily layer forming on the surface of the melted cheese.
American Cheese, by contrast, contains lower fat levels than many traditional cheeses. This controlled fat content prevents the excessive separation of fats during heating, ensuring a smooth, homogeneous melt without greasiness.
5. Controlled pH levels optimise melting
The precise pH levels of American cheese are another critical factor in its superior melting performance. pH influences the interactions between proteins, fats, and water, which directly affect the cheese’s behaviour when heated. By controlling the pH during processing, manufacturers ensure that American cheese melts evenly, smoothly, and without clumping.
The pH of cheese determines the acidity or alkalinity of its environment. It impacts the structure of casein, the primary protein in milk, which forms the cheese matrix. During melting:
- Low pH (high acidity): Proteins become overly tight, leading to clumping or curdling.
- High pH (low acidity): Proteins are too loose, causing the cheese to become runny and unstable.
- Optimal pH: Proteins maintain a balanced structure that allows even melting without separating.
For American Cheese, the optimal pH is typically between 5.3 and 5.8. This range ensures a stable matrix that melts into a creamy, cohesive texture.
6. Additives enhance melting and shelf stability
Finally, American Cheese owes much of its superior melting properties and long shelf life to carefully selected additives. These ingredients, incorporated during processing, improve the cheese’s functionality, ensuring it performs consistently in both cooking and storage.
Types of additives used include:
- Preservatives: Additives such as sorbic acid extend the cheese’s shelf life by inhibiting microbial growth.
- Thickeners and stabilisers: Agents like modified starch or carrageenan maintain texture and consistency, particularly during melting.
- Colouring agents: Ingredients like annatto or beta-carotene ensure the cheese has its characteristic uniform yellow or orange hue.
Comparisons with natural cheeses
American Cheese is often compared to natural cheeses for its melting properties. Here’s how it stacks up against specific varieties:
American Cheese vs Mozzarella
Mozzarella is known for its stretchiness when melted, making it perfect for pizza and baked dishes. However, this stringy texture can sometimes become rubbery if overheated.
In contrast, American Cheese melts into a smooth, creamy consistency without any stretch, making it ideal for sauces or dips. Mozzarella also has a higher moisture content but lacks the emulsifiers present in American Cheese, which ensure a uniform melt.
American Cheese vs Monterey Jack
Monterey Jack is a semi-soft cheese with good melting properties, often used in Mexican dishes. While it melts easily, it can sometimes become oily or clump if overheated. American Cheese avoids these issues thanks to its controlled fat levels and fine protein structure. Additionally, American Cheese has a more uniform texture when melted, while Monterey Jack may develop slight separation.
American Cheese vs Cheddar
Cheddar, especially aged varieties, is prone to oil separation and clumping when melted. This occurs because its protein network tightens with age. Younger Cheddar melts better but still lacks the smooth consistency of American Cheese.
American Cheese’s emulsifiers and additives prevent separation, ensuring a creamy, lump-free melt, making it better suited for applications like burgers or macaroni and cheese.
American Cheese vs Gruyère
Gruyère is prized for its nutty flavour and smooth melting ability, making it a staple in fondues and French onion soup. However, Gruyère requires careful handling during heating to avoid oil separation.
American Cheese, with its controlled pH and stabilisers, melts more predictably and evenly. While Gruyère offers complex flavours, American Cheese is preferred when consistent texture and ease of use are priorities.
American Cheese vs Raclette
Raclette is designed for melting and has a rich, creamy texture when heated, ideal for traditional raclette dishes. However, it can sometimes become stringy or overly rich due to its high fat content.
American Cheese has a smoother, more controlled melt, free from oil separation or stringiness. It’s also easier to handle and requires no special preparation, unlike Raclette, which often needs to be heated with care.
Why American Cheese is preferred for melting
While natural cheeses bring unique flavours and textures, their melting behaviour can be unpredictable. American Cheese, thanks to its processed nature, overcomes these inconsistencies. It delivers a creamy, even melt under a wide range of conditions, making it a favourite for convenience and reliability in home cooking and fast food alike.
Having said that, there are legitimate concerns over how healthy this type of processed cheese products is. So you should consume it in moderation.
Conclusion
American Cheese melts exceptionally well due to its unique formulation. Emulsifiers, controlled pH levels and high moisture content all contribute to its performance.
Unlike natural cheeses, its processing ensures a consistent melt every time. Whether in a grilled cheese sandwich or on a burger, its creamy texture and ease of melting make it an irreplaceable ingredient in modern cuisine.
References
Overall nutritional content
The nutritional content of cheese in our table comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository, the Australian Food Composition Database and cheese manufacturers. We realise that there can be variations between different brands and producers. Hence, the numbers we have used are averages.
Fat content
Our fat RDI data comes from Cleveland Clinic’s Healthy Fat Intake resource.
Type of fat in cheese as per Harvard T.H. Chan’s The Nutrition Source.
Protein content
Our protein RDI data comes from Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health Publishing.
Cholesterol content
Is There a Correlation between Dietary and Blood Cholesterol? Evidence from Epidemiological Data and Clinical Interventions? – Maria Luz Fernandez and Ana Gabriela Murillo
Saturated fat, carbohydrate, and cardiovascular disease – Patty W Siri-Tarino, Qi Sun, Frank B Hu and Ronald M Krauss
Effect of cheese consumption on blood lipids: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials – Janette de Goede, Johanna M Geleijnse, Eric L Ding, Sabita S Soedamah-Muthu
Safety in pregnancy
All the advice relating to what cheeses you can eat during pregnancy in this article is based on the recommendations by health authorities in Australia, the UK and the USA. If you are unsure about what you can or cannot eat, please consult your doctor.
Australia – FSANZ, United Kingdom – NHS and United Sates of America – FDA
Lactose content
Lactose residual content in PDO cheeses
Detection of lactose in products with low lactose content
The analysis of lactose in milk and cheese products by HPLC
Food Standards ANZ Food Composition Database
Lactose & Galactose content of cheese
Jonah is a a hipster, eco-warrior and slow food afficionado. Coming from a scientific background, Jonah has a particular interest in cheese science. And yes, he loves a good cheese pun!
