Section 416.5 - Pasteurized Process Cheese Product(a)(1) Pasteurized process cheese product is the food prepared by comminuting and mixing, with the aid of heat, one or more of the optional cheese ingredients prescribed in paragraph (b) of this section, with or without one or more of the optional dairy ingredients prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section, with one or more of the optional ingredients prescribed by paragraph (d) of this section, into a homogeneous plastic mass.(2) Pasteurized process cheese product shall have a moisture content of not more than 60 percent and a fat content of not less than 4 percent nor more than 17 percent.(3) The weight of the cheese ingredient referred to in paragraph (a) (1) of this section shall constitute not less than 51 percent of the weight of the pasteurized process cheese product.(4) Pasteurized process cheese product may be smoked, or the cheese from which it is made may be smoked before comminuting and mixing, or it may contain substances prepared by condensing or precipitating wood smoke.(5) The flavor and body of any optional cheese ingredients used may be modified by the addition of safe and suitable enzymes. For the purpose of this section, the common name of each enzyme-modified cheese ingredient shall be "enzyme-modified __________ cheese," the blank being filled in with the varietal name of the cheese so modified.(b) The optional cheese ingredients referred to in paragraph (a) of this section include all natural cheese varieties for which there is a specific definition and standard of identity including the special varieties described in Section 415 (a) of this article.(c) The optional dairy ingredients referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are milk or any safe and suitable product of milk.(d) The other optional ingredients referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are any of the following safe and suitable ingredients: (1) Emulsifying agents (such as phosphates, citrates, and tartrates) in such quantity that the weight of the solids of such emulsifying agents is not more than 3 percent of the weight of the finished food calculated as the anhydrous substance.(2)(A) Stabilizers consisting of one or any mixture of two or more vegetable gums, gelatin, algin (sodium alginate), propylene glycol alginate, or xanthan gum. The total weight of such substances is not more than 0.8 percent of the weight of the finished food.(B) When one or more of the optional ingredients listed in paragraph (d) (2) (A) of this section is used, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate may be used in a quantity not in excess of 0.5 percent of the weight of such ingredients.(4) Nutritive carbohydrate sweeteners.(8) Spices and/or flavorings, none of which singly or in combination with other ingredients simulate the flavor of a cheese of any age or variety.(9) Mold-inhibiting ingredients on cuts or slices of pasteurized process cheese product in consumer sized packages.(10) Lecithin on cuts or slices of pasteurized process cheese product in consumer sized packages as an antisticking agent in an amount not to exceed 0.03 percent by weight of the finished food.(11) Enzyme-modified cheese.(12) Any properly prepared cooked, canned or dried fruit, vegetable, meat, fish or poultry for flavoring purposes.(e) If the optional ingredients described in paragraph (d) (12) of this section are utilized, the name of the food is "pasteurized process cheese product with __________," the blank being filled in with the common or usual name or names of the fruits, vegetables, meat, fish or poultry used, in order of predominance by weight.(f) The name of the food is "pasteurized process cheese product" and its label shall bear a list of ingredients by common or usual name. Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label in descending order of predominance except that if the cheese ingredient contains cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, granular cheese, monterey cheese, or any mixture of two or more of these, such cheese or such mixture may be designated as "American cheese."(g) Whenever any word or statement emphasizing the name of any ingredient appears on the label (other than in an ingredient statement) so conspicuously as to be easily seen under customary conditions of purchase:(1) The full name of the food shall immediately and conspicuously precede or follow such word or statement in a type of at least the size as the type used in such word or statement, and(2) When a label featured cheese is less than 50 percent of the total cheese ingredients, the word "flavored" shall also immediately follow the word or statement in a type of the same size and style used in such word or statement.Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 3, § 416.5
1. New section filed 8-10-73; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 73, No. 32).
2. Amendment filed 8-12-80; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 80, No. 33). Note: Authority cited: Section 407, Food and Agricultural Code. Reference: Section 37402, Food and Agricultural Code.
1. New section filed 8-10-73; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 73, No. 32).
2. Amendment filed 8-12-80; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 80, No. 33).