The European mind cannot comprehend this: Cheez Whiz, the delicious snack spread only Americans love
Though Cheez Whiz has a uniquely American feel, food scientists in other countries were working on similar products when Kraft made their discovery.
Cheez Whiz first landed on grocery store shelves in the United States in 1952. Developed by Kraft, the product is said to be made with cheese, but is really more a cheese-based product, that is highly processed, which gives it its unique flavor, texture, and vibrant orange color.
Crackers aren’t the only thing Cheez Whiz can be spread on. Over the years, the cheese spread has made its way onto Philadelphia cheesesteak sandwiches, as well as nachos and hot dogs. Today, lovers of Cheez Whiz can find an entire lineup of the product, featuring flavors ranging from Tex Mex and Salsa Con Queso to Bacon and Pimento.
The history of the development of processed cheese
Though Cheez Whiz has a uniquely American identity, the roots of processed cheese stretch back to Europe. According to Food & Wine, the innovation began in Switzerland decades before Cheez Whiz appeared in the US.
Just before World War I, two Swiss food scientists, Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler, were experimenting with ways to extend the shelf life of cheese. The techniques they deployed, as reported by Food and Wine, included mixing sodium citrate into a solution with cheese that had been “shredded, heated, and stirred.”
A few years later, and possibly unaware of the Swiss developments, James L. Kraft, founder of Kraft Foods Inc., which later merged with Heinz to become Kraft Heinz Company, filed a patent for processed cheese in 1916.
Read more from AS USA:
Kraft’s other processed cheese endeavors
Today, Kraft is perhaps best known for its iconic boxed macaroni and cheese, which includes a packet of powdered cheese to be mixed with milk or water. This powdered cheese is part of a long tradition at Kraft, whose origins lie in the production and sale of processed cheddar cheese. Though cheddar and some of the more processed varieties originated in the United Kingdom, Kraft patented and began producing it in the early 1900s.
The varieties Kraft and others sold would become known as American cheese. These gained popularity during World War I, thanks to their ability to be shipped without refrigeration, making them a staple in military rations and, later, American households.
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