Who Cut the Cheese?

I don't know why I was thinking about this while eating a slice of Kraft American Cheese yesterday but...who cuts the cheese? I have to examine the individual wrapped cheese square closely and can't help to think of someone sitting/standing there wrapping each one so precisely like little elves? Oh, wait...that's Keebler~ Okay, maybe there is some automated contraption that shoots the cheese down a conveyor belt and whips the thin cellophane around it.



Curiosity got the best of me so I just had to Google it!

This is what I found...and if you are as curious as me, you can read the whole thing here.


The processed variety of American Cheese is sold in three basic packaging varieties: individually wrapped cheese slices[4], small pre-sliced blocks of 16 to 36 slices, and large blocks[3] meant for deli counters.

Okay...now I know that~


The individually wrapped cheese slices are typically the least like natural cheese.

Hey that's not what it says on the package! I thought I was really getting my daily dose of calcium each day... Never believe everything you read!


These "slices" are actually individually poured onto each plastic wrapper and then set to emulsify.

You can imagine my next thought....eeeew! My bubble has been busted! Poured not sliced? But if you read the sentence above it states... "The individually wrapped cheese slices" ...It doesn't say, individually poured wrapped cheese slices....I'm confused!


Small (e.g., 16 to 36 slice) blocks of presliced, but not individually-wrapped, American Cheese are also marketed, often with the branding "deluxe" or "old fashioned". This variety of American Cheese is similar in ingredients and texture to that of modern block American Cheese. Before the advent of the individually wrapped variety, this was the typical variety that Americans purchased. Hence, some people refer to this as "traditional", "old fashioned", or "classic" American Cheese. American Cheese in block form sold at deli counters is typically a more natural cheese than its individually wrapped cousin. Nonetheless, most block American Cheese is still a processed cheese[3].


Well, I guess that answers my question...who cut the cheese? From now on I will buy my cheese from the deli, and ask them if they could cut the cheese for me!


I just hope they don't ask me to pull their finger first!