Purchasing Cheese

Not all cheeses are graded according to the USDA-defined U.S. Grades AA, A, B and C, but those that are graded are evaluated based on their variety, flavor, texture, finish, color, and appearance. Exceptions to these criteria are Colby cheese, in which color is not considered, and Swiss cheese, which is graded additionally for its salt level and eyes (holes). U.S. grades have not been established for processed cheese products.

A Quality Approved inspection shield on the label means only that the cheese meets minimum quality standards and has been produced in a plant meeting USDA sanitary standards. An imitation cheese is defined as one that looks and tastes like the one it is intended to replace but is nutritionally inferior. Substitute cheeses resemble the traditional product and meet the nutritional equivalence comparisons.