| Cream Cheese |
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Cream cheese is a sweet, soft, mild-tasting, white , Chive s, Dill , Olive s, and even Lox (smoked Salmon ). Cream cheese differs from other cheese in that it is not allowed time to mature and is meant to be consumed fresh. It is a primary ingredient in Cheesecake and other desserts, and is often spread on Bagel s and eaten with Lox . ORIGIN According to food manufacturer Kraft :
In many places, including Ireland and parts of Spain , cream cheese is called simply ''Philadelphia'', and in places in Latin America , including Argentina , Chile , and Mexico it is called ''Queso Filadelfia'' ("Philadelphia Cheese"). This is an example of a Genericized Trademark . Philadelphia is marketed in the UK, but non branded cream cheese is rarely referred to as such. USAGE Cream cheese is used in many recipes . In many European countries, cream cheese is eaten as a cheese, rather than a spread, and it is served on cheese trays. For example, in Italy , chunks of cream cheese are served in fresh salads. Japan ese consumers put cream cheese on crusty bread. In America , it is commonly used as a spread for bagels and other bread products. MANUFACTURE Cream cheese is difficult to manufacture. Normally, Protein Molecule s in milk have a negative Surface Charge , which keeps milk in a liquid state; the molecules act as Surfactant s, forming Micelle s around the particles of fat and keeping it in Emulsion . Lactic Acid Bacteria are added to Pasteurized and homogenized milk. During the Fermentation at around 23 °C, the PH Level of the milk decreases. Amino acids at the surface of the proteins begin losing charge and become neutral, turning the fat micelles from Hydrophilic to Hydrophobic state and causing the liquid to Coagulate . If the bacteria are left in the milk too long, the pH lowers further, the micelles attain a positive charge and the mixture returns to liquid form. The key then is to kill the bacteria by heating the mixture to 52-63 °C at the moment the cheese is in an Isoelectric Point , meaning the state at which half the ionizable surface amino acids of the proteins are positively charged and half are negative. Inaccurate timing of heating leads to an inferior or unusable product. However, subtle changes in the timing of the process can result in variations in flavor and texture. Furthermore, because cream cheese has a higher Fat content than other cheeses and fat repels water, which tends to separate from the cheese, Stabilizer s such as Guar and Carob Gum s must be added to prolong its Shelf Life . Improper heat treatment of milk may lead to formation of hard particles of amorphous compacted protein, causing unpleasant grittiness. SEE ALSO REFERENCES
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