Summary feedback
Amul Processed cheese is cheese made from normal cheese by adding extra salt, colour, emulsifiers, preservatives and other additives. It is available in cheese Block( 200g,500g,1 kg), Cheese Tins (400g), Cheese Slices (100g,200g,400g,750g), Amul A+ Cheese Slices 200g and cheese chiplets. It has a shelf life of 9 months for cheese tins and cheese chiplets and 6 months for cheese blocks and cheese slices.Cheese is a healthy food and has been eaten for millenia. However, processed cheese is not the same as healthy natural cheese. Processed cheeses have synthetic preservatives and often other additives. Amul processed cheese has preservatives and therefore we do not consider it as safe as a natural cheese. Foodnetindia recommends that you choose natural cheeses over processed cheese. Processed cheese is better avoided when a better, naural alternative without preservatives is available.
The foodnetindia rating for this product :-
foodnetindia safety rating: 5 (On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unsafe to very safe)
This product has artificial preservatives that we do not recommend as safe, especially in a product such as cheese which is consumed regularly and in good quantities by a lot of people. In addition, the product has a high amount of salt which may not be safe for people with hypertension and some others.
In addition, we are keen to hear from the brand about a recent report of contamination in cheese. According to Consumer Education and Research Society (CERS), Ahmedabad, which conducted a test on 11 brands of processed cheese to see how they fared in terms of quality, they found microbial contamination in two brands including Amul processed cheese (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051117/asp/atleisure/story_5479764.asp)
foodnetindia wholesomeness rating: 6 (On a scale of 1 to 10 fr0m very unbalanced nutrition profile to excellent nutrition profile)
Amul Cheese has the goodness of cheese and milk and is a wholesome food like most cheeses. However, excessive amounts are not advised due to high sodium content and also because of the presence of artificial preservatives.
Ingredients of concern in Amul Processed cheese
- Emulsifier and Class II preservatives
- Common Salt
- Sodium Citrate
Class II preservatives (IN234 and IN 200)
IN234 and IN200 are both amongst the safer preservatives.
IN234, Nisin is a polypeptide (short protein) antibiotic produced by the bacterium Lactococcus lactis
, normally used in cheese production. It is recognized as a reasonably safe preservative.
IN200, Sorbic Acid, is normally considered to be safe but in larger quantities can be irritating to the skin, eyes and respiratory system.
Salt
This product has significant amount of salt and could be unsafe in larger quantities for people with hypertension or heart disease.
Sodium Citrate
Sodium citrate is basically a salt that works as an emulsifier or food additive. It helps to reduce the cheese’s acidity, and makes the proteins in the cheese more soluble, and prevents it from separating. It looks like salt and tastes slightly sour and salty, Sodium citrate can be used as a flavouring, typically in Club Soda or as a food additive.
There are possible side effects associated with sodium citrate consumption for those whose kidneys are impaired but those with normal kidneys should be able to tolerate sodium citrate with no change to their normal levels of sodium. Mild potential side effects of sodium citrate consumption are drowsiness, headache etc.
Other ingredients that are in the product but not a major source of concern in our opinion are:
- Cheese
- Citric Acid
Disclaimer – The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information. foodnetindia encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
The ingredients list of the products may have changed since this page was published. Consumers are encouraged to read warnings, labels, ingredient lists, etc.
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