Patent ID: 8642106

Claim:
A soft or firm/semi-hard ripened or unripened blended cheese that comprises protein, an oil or fat that was not derived from milk and that was added as a liquid, and a sequestrant, and has one or more of the following characteristics: (i) a starch concentration of about 0.5 to about 26 wt. %; (ii) a dairy solid concentration of about 0.5 to about 35 wt. %; or a gum or cellulose concentration of about 0.1 to about 20 wt. %, wherein the cheese comprises a block cheese, a ribbon cheese, a string cheese, a comminuted cheese, a diced cheese, or a shredded cheese, the cheese has a moisture content of about 45 to 60 wt. %, the sequestrant comprises one or more alkali metal phosphate or alkali metal citrate salts, and the sequestrant concentration is about 0.001 to 3.8% based on the weight of the cheese.