There are few guilty pleasures that hit the spot the way String Cheese does. But what is this delicious stringy food? In this post, we’ll take a deep dive into the ingredients and production methods used to make this popular American snack. Read on to find out whether String Cheese is real cheese or not as we put it to our Cheese Definition Test.
SEE ALSO: How some of your favourite foods score on our Cheese Definition Test →
Official Cheese Definition Test
Now this is a hotly debated topic even amongst cheese professionals. And you will be hard-pressed to find an accurate definition of what makes a product cheese. The main reason for this is how complex and varied cheeses can be.
However, we wanted to give this a go. After prolonged deliberations, we’ve come up with these essential characteristics:
- Criterion 1: Milk or milk-derived ingredient
- Criterion 2: Allowed (but optional) ingredients
- Criterion 3: Coagulation of milk (or milk-derived product)
- Criterion 4: Separation of curds and whey
You can read more about our Official Cheese Definition test by clicking here.
What is String Cheese?
Firstly, what exactly is String Cheese? It’s a type of food that has been pulled and stretched, resulting in a stringy texture that separates into strips or “strings” when pulled apart. This makes it a popular snack for kids and adults alike, as it’s easy to eat and doesn’t require any utensils.
Popular brands of string cheese include Baker, Sargento and Bega Stringers. Moreover, you can find traditional versions of this cheese around the world. Examples of include Oaxaca, Korbáčik and Dil Peyniri.
For this Cheese Definition Test, we will be investigating the commercial versions like Baker, Sargento and Bega.
String Cheese: Real cheese or not?
So, this brings us to today’s debate. Let’s explore the supporting and opposing arguments for this popular snack’s claim to be real cheese.
Milk and other ingredients
As you can see in the diagram above, the ingredients are pasteurised part-skimmed milk, culture, salt and enzymes. If that sounds familiar, it’s because they are the four ingredients that make up America’s favourite cheese, Mozzarella. And a number of different cheeses from all around the world.
Since it is made using milk, it passes Criterion 1 of our Cheese Definition Test. Furthermore, every single ingredient is on our authorised list. As a result, String Cheese also passes Criterion 2 of our test.
Production methods
Actually, the first step in making String Cheese is to make Low-Moisture Part-Skimmed Mozzarella. And this involves coagulating part-skimmed cow’s milk with rennet enzymes to produce curds.
Once the curds have formed, the cheesemaker allows them to drain to reduce the moisture content. This step separates the curd from the whey and produces a curd mass that has very low moisture.
The remaining steps in making this cheese involve melting the curds in warm water and stretching them to align the casein proteins. Compared to Low-Moisture Part-Skimmed Mozzarella, String Cheese is stretched more extensively. In modern times, this process is often mechanised.
Since its production involves coagulation of milk and draining of curds, String Cheese also passes Criterion 3 and Criterion 4 of our Official Cheese Definition Test.
Opposing arguments
Well, this is going to be a very short section. Indeed, there are no opposing arguments to String Cheese’s claim to be real cheese.
Scorecard: String Cheese is the REAL deal!
So, there you have it, folks. String cheese is indeed real cheese. It may not be your typical block of Cheddar or wheel of Brie, but it’s still made from the same basic ingredients and production process. So, go ahead and enjoy your favourite snack without any guilt or shame!
One final word of caution though. There are some commercial products that are marketed as “String Cheese” that also contain unauthorised ingredients. Because of this, be sure to check the ingredients list when shopping for the real deal.
Are you a die-hard fan of this stretchy delight? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this hugely popular snack. Please leave a comment below.
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!
