Food and Drug Administration Standards
In the United States, the FDA mandates certain qualifications for something to be called granular cheese. The maximum allowed moisture content is 39 percent, and the minimum allowed milkfat content is 50 percent by weight of the solids. Regular granular cheese must either use pasteurized dairy products or be cured for at least 60 days at a temperature of at least 35 °F. Either cows' milk or cream may be used as the main ingredient. Other permissible ingredients include clotting enzymes such as rennet, coloring, calcium chloride as a coagulation aid, enzymes used in curing, hydrogen peroxide, and agents used to protect against fungi. The name granular cheese can encompass many types of cheeses; for example, Parmigiano-Reggiano is a granular cheese.
Granular cheese for manufacturing must meet all of these standards except that it does not need to be cured, nor do the dairy ingredients used need to be pasteurized. This is the type of granular cheese most commonly used for processing.
Read more about this topic: Granular Cheese
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