The Definition of USDA Cheese

USDA certified cheese is safe to consume.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a government branch that helps to make sure food sold in the United States is up to proper safety and health standards. Cheese gets approval after various tests of both the product and the location are made. Does this Spark an idea?

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Factory Inspection
- USDA investigation into the health and nutrition of cheese begins with an inspection of the plant at which the cheese will be made. Inspectors look into the quality of the incoming raw products used in or near the cheese as well as the processing and packaging techniques used by the plant. As such, USDA cheese has been made and handled in a location that does not act detrimentally to the nutrition of the cheese or cause health risks to those consuming the cheese.
USDA Cheese Grades
- There are three main grades given to USDA cheese. USDA Grade AA cheese is top of the line and has a texture, flavor and color consistency perfectly matched for a particular variety of cheese. Cheeses earning this grade are produced with care and allow consumers to know that the cheese they're buying is of the highest quality. USDA Grade A cheese is of good quality still, but there is likely variation in flavor or texture between packages. USDA "quality approved" cheese is not a grade per se, but it is a status given to adequate cheeses that have passed USDA inspection.
Nutrition
- USDA inspectors also determine the nutritional value of the cheeses they approve. That means that every package of USDA cheese will have not only a quality assurance label on it, but also a nutrition label. This details everything from fat to sodium content in a single serving of a particular variety of cheese.

Photo Credit cheese image by Marek Kosmal from Fotolia.com

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