Cheese is a standard accompaniment to popular foods like burgers, pizza, Mexican dishes, salad, and

sandwiches.

Alone, it can be a snack or an appetizer. It can be added to sauces, soups, pastries, and many other
dishes.

There are thousands of varieties of cheese, ranging from mild to mature in flavor, and low- to high-fat in
composition. It can be made from the milk of cows, sheep, goats, and other animals.

Whole-milk cheese contains between 6 and 10 grams (g) of fat per 1-ounce (28 g), serving. Of this, 4 g to
6 g is saturated fat.

Low-fat or reduced-fat cheese is made with 2 percent milk. Non-fat cheese is made with 0 percent or
skim milk.

Fresh cheeses are cheeses that have not been aged, or matured. They usually have a higher moisture
content, softer texture, and milder taste than aged cheeses. Examples incude ricotta, cream cheese,
cottage cheese, and mascarpone.

Aged or mature cheeses are firmer in texture and tend to be aged for 6 months or longer. The longer
the aging process, the more concentrated or sharp the flavor. Cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, and Gruyère
are examples of aged cheeses.

Processed cheese, such as cheese spread, American cheese, “cheese food” and “cheese flavored”
products cannot be categorized as cheese, and the label must reflect this. These are shelf-stable
products containing added ingredients such as flavor enhancers and emulsifiers.

Non-dairy cheeses, such as soy cheese and daiya, are suitable for people who do not consume dairy
products, but they are highly processed.