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It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

thephcheese.com

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Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#131

Post by foxyv »

xattt wrote: post #10

Tangential, but I recently noticed that natamycin, an antifungal agent, is being used in packages of shredded cheese as a preservative. I was a little taken aback on seeing it, given that antibiotic stewardship has been pushed so much in the last decade. I realize that natamycin is an antifungal and not an antibiotic, and that mechanisms of developing resistance are likely different between eukaryotes and prokaryotes…

I stopped buying pre-shredded cheese a decade ago. Block cheese is cheaper, lasts longer, and cooks better. Pre-shredded is just worse in every way aside from convenience. Using a cheap rotary grater like they have in restaurants makes this almost a non-issue.

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#132

Post by foxyv »

hettygreen wrote: post #106
xattt wrote: post #10

Tangential, but I recently noticed that natamycin, an antifungal agent, is being used in packages of shredded cheese as a preservative. I was a little taken aback on seeing it, given that antibiotic stewardship has been pushed so much in the last decade. I realize that natamycin is an antifungal and not an antibiotic, and that mechanisms of developing resistance are likely different between eukaryotes and prokaryotes…

All the more reason to Make America Grate Again.. I'm here all night folks.

Cheesy jokes on Hacker News? I approve.

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#133

Post by josephg »

robocat wrote: post #76
Suppafly wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The processed stuff in the bag seems to be plainly noticeable to me... Sure, when you're eating it by the handful, but when it's melted in a dish (the thing people typically use it for) you aren't going to notice.

I think you are generalizing from your own tastes. Just because you don't notice something doesn't mean that others don't. I started to notice this when I was hanging out with a very smart friend who worked as a restaurant cook. They just noticed heaps of stuff I didn't if we went out for a meal. I wasn't sure if it was training or natural ability.

Training is massive for our senses. I’ve been learning the piano lately and I’m starting to notice I’m getting more information from listening to music. It’s really weird - like, I’ll play an old piece I’ve listened to a thousand times. But now I can separate out the different parts of the song in my head now. It’s obvious - how could I not have heard it before?

I think foodies are like that. I knew one girl years ago from a foodie family. Anything she ate, she could list out all the ingredients and tell you how it was prepared. It was uncanny. I don’t think she had a special mouth. Just, she came from a family which bonds through cooking. Their family goes on hikes where everyone cooks a fancy gourmet meal one night for the camp. She’s been training her palate since she was a toddler. It shows. The difference is insane.

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#134

Post by rdlw »

Suppafly wrote: post #95
kube-system wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The point of the anti-caking agent is to prevent the cheese from sticking to itself, which inherently affects the texture of the cheese in your mouth... it doesn't stick to itself the same way freshly shredded cheese does, particularly if the cheese is soft and sticky like processed american cheeses. Although it is likely less noticeable for dryer and harder cheeses.

>The point of the anti-caking agent is to prevent the cheese from sticking to itself, which inherently affects the texture of the cheese in your mouth It does so by keeping the cheese 'dryer' than it normally would be. Putting it in your mouth basically undoes that. You're only going to notice if you're eating it by the handful, not when you're using it in actual food dishes.

> It does so by keeping the cheese 'dryer' than it normally would be. Putting it in your mouth basically undoes that.

By this logic, shouldn't croutons and cubes of fresh bread be indistinguishable?

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#135

Post by m463 »

foxyv wrote: post #131
xattt wrote: post #10

Tangential, but I recently noticed that natamycin, an antifungal agent, is being used in packages of shredded cheese as a preservative. I was a little taken aback on seeing it, given that antibiotic stewardship has been pushed so much in the last decade. I realize that natamycin is an antifungal and not an antibiotic, and that mechanisms of developing resistance are likely different between eukaryotes and prokaryotes…

I stopped buying pre-shredded cheese a decade ago. Block cheese is cheaper, lasts longer, and cooks better. Pre-shredded is just worse in every way aside from convenience. Using a cheap rotary grater like they have in restaurants makes this almost a non-issue.

anything shelf-stable, hydrogenated peanut butter, highly processed milk, etc

I'm starting to wonder if

  convenience = 1/healthy
hopefully not bananas though.

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#136

Post by astura »

kjkjadksj wrote: post #50
astura wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People are super religious about this but I've never been able to tell pre-shredded cheese from cheese I've shredded myself and I don't think anyone else can tell the difference in a blind taste test.

I dont know if I can tell on taste but the difference in mouth feel is huge. The shredded version has wood dust on it to keep it from sticking and you can definitely feel it against the cheese in the mouth vs much more smooth/liable to clump together hand shredded off the block cheese.

I bet you can't feel it in a blind taste test.

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#137

Post by khazhoux »

talkingtab wrote: post #75

It seems wrong to me that most of what people now call cheese is not at all like what I think of as "real cheese". I have ended up making cheese and it is both fascinating, productive and tasty. While there are many "recipes" for cheeses, they are mainly focused on preparing the cheese for aging. These are often techniques, like washing the curd (gouda) or cheddaring (cheddar). The aging part takes more work. I conve…

> It seems wrong to me that most of what people now call cheese is not at all like what I think of as "real cheese"

Not sure at all what you’re referring to. Surely it’s not “american cheese”, which has been the punchline of obvious cheese jokes for decades. Or the powder in mac & cheese boxes, which is its own thing.

From where I stand, I see grocery stores in the USA stocking large varieties of cheddars, fontina, gouda… all “real cheese.”

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#138

Post by [deleted] »

m463 wrote: post #135
foxyv wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I stopped buying pre-shredded cheese a decade ago. Block cheese is cheaper, lasts longer, and cooks better. Pre-shredded is just worse in every way aside from convenience. Using a cheap rotary grater like they have in restaurants makes this almost a non-issue.

anything shelf-stable, hydrogenated peanut butter, highly processed milk, etc I'm starting to wonder if convenience = 1/healthy hopefully not bananas though.

[deleted]

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#139

Post by tcdent »

m463 wrote: post #135
foxyv wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I stopped buying pre-shredded cheese a decade ago. Block cheese is cheaper, lasts longer, and cooks better. Pre-shredded is just worse in every way aside from convenience. Using a cheap rotary grater like they have in restaurants makes this almost a non-issue.

anything shelf-stable, hydrogenated peanut butter, highly processed milk, etc I'm starting to wonder if convenience = 1/healthy hopefully not bananas though.

bananas are a socioeconomic catastrophe

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#140

Post by whyenot »

CGMthrowaway wrote: post #73
0_____0 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tangent on tangent - in addition to the antifungal there is also anticaking agent (nothing crazy, often some type of flour) that noticeably changes the mouthfeel of cheeses that come pre-shredded. If you notice a grainy texture in your food, try grating it off a brick instead!

Anti-caking agent can be either cellulose ("sawdust"), potato starch, or calcium sulfate

I know you put it in quotes, but only about 50% of sawdust is cellulose. The remainder is hemicellulose, lignin, resins, and oils. Some shredded cheese use pure cellulose as an anti-caking agent, not sawdust.
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