Why You Should Shred Your Own Cheese

We've been doing some 'experimenting' at the Cottage after my husband seemed to develop a sensitivity to cheese.  He noticed it a few months ago after eating certain dinners that contained cheese.  About a half hour after eating, his skin became itchy and he had hives.  At first, we thought he was developing an allergy to dairy, but as we started tracking what he ate we noticed that he didn't react to cheese slices or cheese cut from a block.  

At this point, I started reading labels and discovered some interesting ingredients like powdered cellulose and natamycin. 

Powdered cellulose:  minuscule pieces of wood pulp that coat the cheese to keep it from clumping by blocking out moisture.
My husband found this additional information about cellulose:
Cellulose comes in various forms, each with a specific use. Beyond powdered cellulose, two other modified forms are common in food. Microcrystalline cellulose is either listed as such on labels, as MCC, or in some cases as cellulose gel. Carboxymethyl cellulose or cellulose gum, another modified version, is listed as such on labels. Each gives foods a slightly different texture — from gelatinous to more liquid-like — because they trap varying amounts of air or water. Powdered cellulose is made by cooking raw plant fiber — usually wood — in various chemicals to separate the cellulose, and then purified. Modified versions go through extra processing, such as exposing them to acid to further break down the fiber. (source) In other words, this is not the cellulose you’d get from eating broccoli. No, this is cellulose that’s created in a laboratory, by a convoluted process you’d find difficult (if not impossible) to replicate in your own kitchen. And did I mention it’s made from wood pulp?
Natamycin:  used as a mold-inhibitor in cheese. I've see it referred to as an antifungal and an antibiotic. 

Look at the labels:

This is from shredded cheese:

This is from a jar of parmesan:

Now go to the kitchen and check your labels....I'll wait right here for you.

You found the same thing, right?  I don't know about you, but powdered cellulose and natamycin do not sound like ingredients I want to be putting in my body even if the 'experts' say they are safe for human consumption, to say nothing of the fact that my husband was having an obvious reaction to them.  

I started making the same recipes with cheese that I shredded myself (from a block of cheese) and my husband had no reaction. Hmmmmm...

Take a look at the ingredients in a block of cheese:

How about that? No powdered cellulose or natamycin in this one!

I'm no doctor, but, I think we found the culprit.  My husband is happily eating his favorite meals again without feeling horrible afterward and I'm pretty sure we are both eating healthier!

By all means, make your own decision about the cheese you use in your recipes, but, for this family, pre-processed shredded cheese will not be used anymore.

How about you?  Have you had any problems with shredded cheese?  I hope you'll share with a comment below.

Have a great week and thanks for stopping by. I'll be back next week with a new project!

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