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Trademark -

When you think of cheese, you likely picture a distinct yellow or orange hue–in addition to its taste, of course!

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Golden hue -

This is especially true for cheeses like cheddar and Gouda, which often have a deep yellow or orange hue.

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Source product -

But if cheese comes from milk, and milk is white, why is cheese yellow or orange?

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Unmasking the color -

Several factors contribute to this phenomenon, including natural chemical processes, seasonal variations, and marketing strategies.

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Beginning with diet -

To understand the natural reasons for cheese's color, we need to consider the process of milk production. Animals such as cows, buffalo, goats, and sheep, in their natural, non-industrialized environment, primarily consume grass.

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Eating well -

Their grass-based diet provides the nutrients necessary for milk production.

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Nutritious and colorful -

Lush, green, seasonal grass contains beta-carotene.

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Nature's pigment -

Beta-carotene is a complex compound responsible for the orange pigmentation observed in carrots, apricots, and sweet potatoes.

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Milk tint -

As animals graze on lush pastures, this pigment-rich compound is absorbed into their bloodstream and transferred to their milk.

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Hiding within -

Although beta-carotene is present in milk, it's masked by proteins and fat globules, making milk appear white.

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Here comes the tone -

The cheesemaking process transforms milk, revealing the hidden pigment. As the milk curdles and the whey is drained off, the fat globules disintegrate, revealing the beta-carotene.

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Fat content -

Since fat breakdown influences color intensity, fattier cheeses like cheddar have a deeper yellow, or orange, hue due to higher beta-carotene levels.

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Why so white? -

That's also the reason why not all cheeses are yellow. Some, like cottage cheese and feta, remain white.

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Pale cheeses -

Sheep, goats, and buffalo do not store beta-carotene in their fat in the same manner as cows. Different metabolic processes and dense protein structures prevent beta-carotene release, resulting in pale cheeses from the milk these animals produce.

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Seasonal impact -

Turning to market factors, the increased nutritional content of spring and summer grass results in higher levels of beta-carotene in milk. So the naturally yellower and higher-quality cheese produced in spring and summer established a desirable standard.

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Securing profit -

As cheesemakers couldn't rely exclusively on spring and summer production to maintain profitability, they devised a strategy of skimming cream from milk to produce butter.

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Butter vs. cheese -

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Not that bright -

The reduced fat content of cheese led to a less appealing appearance, so farmers found a way to fix this.

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Cheese glow-up -

Back in the 15th century, farmers discovered that they could dye cheese to mimic the appearance of a higher fat content.

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Natural color -

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Not sustainable -

But saffron and marigold were expensive and didn't color the cheese enough, so farmers sought a more cost-effective alternative.

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Exploring solutions -

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Natural treasure -

They discovered a promising alternative in the annatto seed, derived from a South American shrub.

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Seed power -

Dutch traders started to import this natural, easy-to-extract pigment from the achiote tree. This readily available and versatile dye was the perfect solution for cheesemakers looking to enhance the appearance of their products.

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Cheese dye -

Cheeses were colored using annatto in two methods: surface application, as seen in Dutch Gouda, or addition to the milk, as practiced in the production of English hard pressed cheeses such as Cheshire and cheddar.

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Dietary restrictions -

This technique persists in modern cheesemaking. As factory-farmed cows are predominantly fed corn and soy, as opposed to lush green grass, they produce milk with less beta-carotene.

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We keep tinting -

But because we've been used to centuries of saturated colors of cheese, none of that really matters when it comes to marketing. We still expect our cheddar to maintain a golden hue, and we can still thank annatto for that.

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Marketing shift -

As centuries of tradition and marketing have led us to expect bright colored cheese, cheesemakers continue to utilize annatto, which is also used in numerous cheese-adjacent snacks.

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Personal preference -

Today, we can find a variety of cheeses at grocery stores, from the intensely yellow-dyed to the more natural, white cheddar. Cheese enthusiasts often prefer cheese from grass-fed cows, naturally tinted with beta-carotene.

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Safe to consume? -

Since it's a natural alternative to synthetic dyes, annatto is often considered safe for consumption, but some individuals may have sensitivities. If you have specific dietary needs or allergies, always check product labels.

Sources: (Vox) (Slate) 

See also: Understanding the black-market appeal of luxury cheese

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