News articles have reported that boxed mac and cheese dinners contain phthalates. A study tested 30 different cheese products and detected phthalates in 29 of them. To get a better understanding of this study, and if we should be concerned about our mac & cheese, we reached out to Dr. Carl Winter, a toxicology expert at the University of California-Davis.

What are phthalates?

“Phthalates are chemicals that are used to improve the functionality of plastics,” he explained. “They are present in a wide variety of household products including cosmetics and are regulated as indirect food additives, when present in food contact materials, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”

Why are chemicals from plastics in food products?

“Phthalates are commonly found at low levels in foods and their presence is frequently associated with fatty foods such as milk, milk products (i.e. cheese and butter) and meats.”

He explained why phthalates have been studied. “Their presence in food has generated public concern as toxicological studies have demonstrated that high doses of phthalates fed to laboratory animals can cause birth defects and hormonal alteration.”

Those studies may be enough to cause some to choose to avoid these foods. But Dr. Winter emphasized that it is important to remember this principle of toxicology, which is “The dose makes the poison.”

“It is the amount of exposure to chemicals, not their presence or absence, that determines the potential for harm,” he explained. “While the ‘KleanupKraft’ study did detect the presence of phthalates in foods, it did not estimate consumer exposure to phthalates nor did it compare exposure levels to safety thresholds.”

“In the case of phthalates detected in food, several studies have demonstrated that the average daily exposure to phthalates is well below levels considered to be of toxicological concern,” Dr. Winter said.

So can we still enjoy mac and cheese?

“Consumers should continue to eat a balanced diet featuring ample quantities of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and it is not necessary to make dietary changes due to the presence of small levels of phthalates detected in specific food items,” he said.

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Noun. Curd is the thick substance that forms in milk when it sours or when making cheese.

Used in a sentence:

Fresh curd can easily be enjoyed in cottage cheese. 

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Noun. Whey is the watery part of the milk that forms when milk becomes thick. This occurs in cheese making as well as when milk goes sour.

Used in a sentence:

When making cheese, the whey separates from the curd. 

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Noun. Fondue is described as a dish in which small pieces of food are dipped into a hot liquid. Popular fondues include chocolate and cheese.

Used in a sentence:

Fondue is a great dish for socializing, as people can gather around a table and enjoy their favorite foods while engaging in robust conversations.

What type of fondue do you enjoy? Let us know!

_{The image “Fondue/FUNdue” by Hey Paul Studios is licensed under CC BY 2.0.}

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Best Food Facts registered dietitian Sarah Downs explains that wood pulp, or cellulose, is a safe food additive and is often added to some grated cheeses to stop the strands from sticking together. Typically, a very fine powdered cellulose (not wood pieces like many think) is used in shredded cheese and can come from a variety of plant sources. It’s not derived from wheat, rye or barley so it’s acceptable for those following a gluten-free diet. The additive is not harmful and is approved for use in foods by the FDA. The acceptable amounts approved by the FDA are between two and four percent cellulose, but eating cheese with more than this amount is not harmful. The bigger concern is whether consumers are actually getting what they’re paying for.

If you’re curious about whether food in your pantry contains cellulose, here’s what to look for on the label. Another term used for wood cellulose is microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). Cellulose gel and cellulose gum are other descriptions of wood cellulose. A more technical term of carboxymethyl cellulose could also appear on an ingredient list.

The information below was originally posted on July 1, 2014.

Cellulose is the basic building block of the cell walls of all plants and is considered a complex carbohydrate. But “cellulose is cellulose” whether it comes from wood pulp or celery, according to the executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest in a 2011 Wall Street Journal article. Various forms of cellulose are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) food substances, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Small cellulose particles give a smooth consistency and stickiness to products such as salad dressings, barbecue sauces and ice cream. Longer fiber lengths provide structure and a firmer texture to baked goods. Cellulose also helps capture and retain moisture and keeps products from seeming dry.

Joanne Slavin, PhD, RD, professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota, told the Wall Street Journal that cellulose can serve as a good source of dietary fiber for people who don’t eat enough fruits, vegetables or whole grains. The USDA’s dietary guidelines recommend young women get 28 grams of fiber daily and young men consume 38 grams.

Dr. Slavin:

Cellulose is a form of insoluble fiber. It is found in all plants, but wood is a particularly rich source of cellulose. When you eat vegetables, like carrots or whole grains, you consume cellulose. Cellulose is not digested and absorbed, but may be fermented in the colon. Since most of it survives transit through the gut, it is known to increase stool weight and speed transit.

My PhD research was on the physiological effects of a wood cellulose in humans. Most was not fermented in the gut, it had no negative effects on mineral absorption, and did increase stool weight.

Fiber is a shortfall nutrient (which means we’re not getting enough of it) in the U.S., so there is a need to increase intake of fiber. Of course, we dietitians prefer that consumers get fiber from vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fruits, but purified cellulose can also be added to foods to increase the fiber content. Usually this will expand the food as fiber binds water, so it would be called a filler, but most folks need lower calorie foods so use of fillers would be a benefit.

The FDA and USDA set limits on the amount of cellulose certain foods can contain and powdered cellulose can be used in foods labeled “organic” or “made with organic” ingredients.

_{The image “Parmesan” by cyclonebill is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.}

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What are the nutritional benefits of eating cheese?

• Cheese contains a host of important nutrients like calcium, protein, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin A.  Cheese is a good source of quality protein and an excellent source of calcium, which can help to fill gaps in many American’s diets. These nutrients are also important for helping to build and maintain healthy bones and muscles.
• Cheese not only tastes great, it is convenient, portable and versatile. When paired with things like fruits, veggies, and whole grains it may help people eat more of these recommended food groups.

What is the healthiest cheese? What is the least healthy?

It really depends on the person and what they are looking for, whether it be lower calorie, lower sodium, a boost in calcium or something suitable for lactose intolerance.

Here are some options to choose from¹:

• Lower sodium: Swiss, Monterey Jack, ricotta or Parmesan are best. They also make many varieties that have lower sodium options. If you are looking to lower the sodium in your diet, one tip is to choose cheese based on firmness and age. Softer, less-aged cheese typically requires less salt than harder, aged varieties.

• Lower calorie and fat options: Parmesan, Romano, part-skim mozzarella. There are many lower fat and calorie options of cottage, ricotta, cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, colby, Muenster, provolone, or American. 

• Suitable for lactose intolerance: Cheese can be an important source of calcium for those with lactose intolerance. Natural cheeses like cheddar, colby, Monterey Jack, mozzarella and Swiss have most of the lactose removed when the curds are separated from the whey during the cheese-making process, leaving a product with very small amounts of lactose.

• Boost calcium intake: Swiss, cheddar, ricotta, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Gouda, Mexican blend, or colby.

Ultimately when it comes to cheese, just about any type can fit in any diet — the key is moderation. That’s why it’s important to read the nutrition facts labels and be mindful of serving sizes. I like to use cheese as an addition or seasoning to my meals instead of making it the main ingredient.

_Reference:

1. _{National Dairy Council and Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. Cheese & Nutrition. Available at: http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/SiteCollectionDocuments/education_materials/cheese/Health%20Professional%20Cheese%20Nutrition%20Brochure%20Final.pdf. Accessed September 2, 2015.}

_{Photo: “Cheese” by Skånska Matupplevelser is licensed under CC BY ND.}

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In the beginning

The origin of cheese is somewhat unclear, but according to Dr. Kindstedt much evidence points to Southwest Asia.

Dr. Kindstedt: “Neolithic peoples living in the upper Fertile Crescent during the 9^th millennium BC were the first to domesticate sheep, goats and cattle. Dairying commenced shortly thereafter. However, because Neolithic peoples were lactose intolerant and thus unable to drink milk as adults, it is likely that they quickly learned how to make simple cheeses, which enabled the adult population to access the extensive nutritional benefits of milk in a lactose-reduced and nutrient-dense form. The development of cheese-making skills, therefore, greatly elevated the importance of dairying as a survival strategy and provided Neolithic farmers with a powerful nutritional incentive to culturally conserve their dairying practices over the millennia and vast distances of Neolithic migration that were to follow. The first cheeses were probably simple acid coagulated (fresh) types that resulted from spontaneous coagulation of warm milk held at ambient temperature, triggered by naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria in the milk that fermented lactose to lactic acid.”

Coming to America

Whatever the truth is about cheese’s true beginnings, as cheese lovers we are grateful. And we are especially grateful that the art of dairying and cheese-making made its way over the pond to the good ‘ole US of A. Dr. Kindstedt tells us that by the 5^th millennium BC, Neolithic dairying and cheese-making made its way through Europe. Dairying and cheese-making eventually became integral parts of European agriculture due to the diverse landscapes and environmental conditions that are so well-suited to dairying. Dairying and cheese-making arrived in North America during the 17^th century when Europeans began to colonize in the New England area and brought their skills and technology with them to the new world. Luckily, dairying proved to be a good fit for the New England agricultural economy and thus New England quickly came to be the cheese-making center of the original American colonies. For the first century and a half, hard-pressed Cheshire-type cheese flourished. While immigrants from other European nations brought their local cheeses with them to America, the American colonies were overwhelmingly dominated by the English, so English cheeses overwhelmingly dominated colonial cheese-making.

Variety is the Spice of Life…or Cheese

As evidenced by the variety of cheese options available to us today, cheese-making eventually expanded beyond the English cheeses that were first introduced in the colonies. We asked Dr. Kindstedt for some information on the different types of cheeses and here’s what he had to share:

Dr. Kindstedt: “There are many ways to classify cheese, but arguably the most informative scheme is based on the type of coagulation that is used in production. On this basis, cheeses can be divided into 4 basic types:”

Acid coagulated cottage cheese

Acid coagulated cheeses: These cheeses are produced by allowing natural lactic acid bacteria present in fresh milk to extensively ferment lactose to lactic acid by holding the milk at a warm temperature. The resulting cheese is very high in moisture, soft, spreadable and susceptible to rapid spoilage. Therefore, these are almost always consumed as fresh cheeses. Examples include cottage cheese, cream cheese and quark.

Acid-heat coagulated ricotta cheese.

Acid-heat coagulated cheeses: These cheeses are produced by allowing natural lactic acid bacteria to partially ferment lactose to lactic acid in fresh milk, followed by heating milk near boiling temperatures. The combination of lactic acid and heat trigger the coagulation process. The resulting cheeses are high in moisture and not very acidic, which renders them susceptible to rapid spoilage. Therefore, these are almost always consumed as fresh cheeses. Examples include ricotta, paneer and queso blanco.

Rennet coagulated Swiss cheese.

Rennet-acid coagulated crottin cheese.

Rennet-acid coagulated cheeses: These cheeses are produced by adding a reduced amount of rennet to milk and holding the milk at a cooler temperature that prevents the rennet from coagulating the milk but allows lactic acid bacteria to ferment lactose to lactic acid. The combination of lactic acid and rennet activity result in a unique coagulation that gives rise to soft, spreadable cheeses that support desirable yeast and mold growth at their surface. Examples include the soft surface ripened goat’s milk cheeses.

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