Analog Cheese & Other Imitations - Fake or Craftsmanship?
Analog cheese is a food that many consumers may have tried before? without really knowing it. Because this is an artificial cheese mold, which, in contrast to conventional cheese, has special properties.
What's inside (or not)
In fact, artificial cheese is a sham, because it is a cheese imitation. The use of milk fat and milk protein is largely or even completely dispensed with in artificial cheese. Instead, substitute fats of plant or animal origin are used. Milk fat is often replaced by various vegetable oils, and bacterial or soy protein takes the place of milk protein. There are also other artificial ingredients such as dyes, preservatives and flavorings, various food additives and emulsifiers. The result is a cheese substitute that is similar in consistency and appearance to conventional cheese, but has little more in common with it than the name.
Between the advance and acceptance
For the consumers and especially for the industry, the imitation cheese offers unimagined possibilities. That's why analog cheese is much more common than the public is aware of. The main reason for this is above all the industrial use of art cheese. In Germany alone, about 110,000 tonnes of it are produced each year, of which around 75% are exported. The rest is found in food processing. In particular, large bakeries, canteens and restaurants like to fall back on cheese imitations. Even finished products such as frozen pizza and lasagne for the microwave do not contain analogue cheese. If the use of artificial cheese has been declared accordingly, EU law is a "legal cheating".
In other countries ? especially in the US? The art cheese is even considered a complete food and is offered at almost all discounters and supermarkets.
Other allowed "moggles"?
The list of foods that replace the original ingredients with simple, cheap or artificial ones is endless. In chocolate biscuits you will find cocoa powder instead of chocolate, instead of shrimp pressed fish protein is offered, vanilla ice cream is beefed up with coconut oil and the pizza is gel ham with starch and soy.
All this is no reason to despair. Politicians reacted quickly and updated the valid Food Labeling Ordinance (LMKV) several times in December 1981, most recently in February 2014.
Pro and contrast artificial foods
Wholly or partially artificially produced foods polarize consumers. What almost borders on fraud for the opposing camp is a reason for the supporters to cheer. The fact is, at least, that both sides can offer important arguments for their views.
Approved artificial foods, especially with vegan consumers. Not only are they health safe, they even extend the diet of vegans. Because of the relatively large distribution of imitations (meat, dairy products, fish, etc.), vegans are grateful for such alternatives and combine their diets even more with the animal and environmental protection. A similar high acceptance is found in allergic people. Especially the analog cheese is a welcome alternative for lactose intolerance.
Opponents of food imitations often feel duped. They complain especially in finished products a lack of labeling and the insufficient education of the customer. In addition, they distrust the manufacturers and suspect in illicit even illicit or even forbidden cheating. Even occasional food scandals (avian influenza, horsemeat, etc.) and the low production costs (processing of leftovers, shorter production time) are often thrown by the opponents in the same art pot.
And the health?
Meat, poultry or dairy products whose ingredients are wholly or partly made from artificial substitutes are harmless to health. The differences in taste between original and permitted forgery are, of course, a subjective perception. There should even be consumers who prefer an artifact to the original food. However, the fats and oils that are sometimes used can change the nutritional value of such foods (calories, fat, etc.). With a special diet (low-fat, diet or similar), it may therefore take more than just a look at the small printed ingredients.
