This morning, as we were munching on our cheese omelet, I went off on one of my "ugh, I can't believe people eat Kraft singles when they can have this stuff" rants. Which typically sets Melvin off on his defense of Kraft singles!
Let's face it, Kraft singles was a staple in most of our homes growing up. Why would we ever question why it lasts for a year in our refrigerators without a sign of mold? I usually go on about how it's not real cheese and Melvin goes on to say that it is and yada, yada. Well, this morning, I looked up the ingredients of Kraft Singles vs. the Racelette currently in our refrigerator. Here is what I came up with:
Raclette: Milk, Salt, Cultures, Rennet, Calcium Chloride, Annato
The only thing questionable in there is calcium chloride, which I looked up and appears to be a firming agent that is approved in foods produced in Europe. It is defined as the "salt" of calcium and chloride, so it heightens the amount of sodium. Rennet is an enzyme from a calf's stomach, which is really gross, but is not a chemical.
Kraft Singles: Cheddar Cheese, Milk, Whey, Milkfat, Milk Protein Concentrate, Salt, Calcium Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Sodium Phosphate, Sorbic acid as a preservative, Apocarotenal (color), Annato, Enzymes, Vitamin D3, Cheese Culture, Yellow Dye
Hmm, kinda scary...Calcium Phosphate is used for fertilizers and is used as a rising agent in foods. Sodium Citrate is a salt product and is simply a food additive. Sodium Phosphate is described as a laxative, but can be used as a meat preservative, as well (huh?).
My conclusion? Well, I was happy to see that Kraft actually has cheddar cheese in there. And no, it will not be a staple in our household...
