General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsVelveeta's fake product shortage and why the news SUCKS BAD
This stunt is the ultimate proof imo that rather than news gathering, these "news" bozoz simply read press releases as they come in.
Velveeta says "we don't know why but we have a shortage" and it
turns out it's available everywhere but only in the larger size.
And this, today, passes for national "news".
redwitch
(14,944 posts)Oh the humanity!
Ed Suspicious
(8,879 posts)snooper2
(30,151 posts)BobUp
(347 posts)democratisphere
(17,235 posts)Kraft is just another unscrupulous corporation that will do anything to sell its products.
DetlefK
(16,423 posts)... the plastic-bag is more expensive than the content.
intaglio
(8,170 posts)In 2002, the FDA issued a Warning Letter to Kraft that Velveeta was being sold with packaging that described it as a "Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread",[7] which the FDA claimed was misbranded because the product declared milk protein concentrate (MPC) in its ingredients listing. Velveeta is now sold in the US as a "Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product",[8] a term for which the FDA does not maintain a standard of identity, and which therefore may contain MPC.
erpowers
(9,350 posts)My local news station pointed out that the shortage was confined to the smaller sizes. The Today show also did a story about the so called shortage that from beginning to end questioned the validity of the shortage. The story was mainly a mock piece that made fun of the idea of a shortage and the reactions to the announcement of the shortage. The reporter reporting the story and the show anchors did not go as far as to point out that there was no shortage of larger sizes of Velveeta, but most of them did point out that they thought the story was a stunt by Kraft, the company that makes Velveeta.
gelsdorf
(240 posts)I knew this was a farce from the beginning. What a better way to pump sales by bringing in the fear monster
MineralMan
(146,288 posts)Nasty "cheez food product." Ack, phooey! Fish bait, it is.
MineralMan
(146,288 posts)It is not cheese. It is cheese food. It may have been cheese at one point, but as it is packaged, it cannot be called cheese. It must be labeled as "Pasteurized Process Cheese Food." You can eat "cheese food" if you like, but it's no longer cheese. It's something else, and the FDA agrees. It's fake cheez. Always has been.
Velveeta is nasty.
B2G
(9,766 posts)the process has been in place for over 100 years.
Perhaps you can enlighten me as why the process to make cheese is so much more 'real' than the one used to make a cheese food product.
MineralMan
(146,288 posts)Look at the ingredients on a package of real cheddar cheese.
Cheese-making is an ancient process, involving milk and rennet, used to create curds. That is all that real cheese requires. Other ingredients may be added for taste, and color, and even molds may be introduced for some cheeses. But cheese is a natural product, made of natural ingredients. Velveeta is factory food. While cheese is part of what is in Velveeta, Velveeta is not cheese, and Kraft can't label it as cheese, by law.
Learn about cheese-making here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheesemaking
Velveeta is a modern process that turns cheese into something else that is not cheese. It is cheese food. It is processed cheese. It is a cheese byproduct, incorporating whey, various chemicals, and other ingredients to make it look, taste, and act as it does. Velveeta melts easily and sort of stays melted without lumps. That's it's main feature.
It doesn't taste like cheese. It doesn't act like cheese. It's not cheese, and Kraft can't label it as cheese. They have to call it "Pasteurized Processed Cheese Product." If it were cheese, they'd call it cheese. The FDA won't let them call it cheese, because it's not cheese.
Learn about Velveeta here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velveeta
It's fake cheese. I eat real cheese, only.
B2G
(9,766 posts)or any of the delicious cheese spreads out there.
Fine by me.
MineralMan
(146,288 posts)I eat cheddar, mozarella, swiss, jack, gorgonzola, and many, many other real cheeses. If I want a cheese spread, I make one, starting with real cheese. If I want cheese sauce, I make a basic bechamel sauce, starting with a butter and flour roux, adding cream or milk, and then blending in real cheese to produce the sauce I want. It's quick and easy to do, and tastes just as I intend it to taste.
American cheese isn't actually cheese, either. Why would I eat that, say, on a grilled cheese sandwich, when there are so many excellent real cheeses to use in such a sandwich? Why would I put a slice of American cheese on a burger, when I could top it with a slice of real swiss cheese or crumble gorgonzola cheese on it?
You'd also enjoy my toasted cheese chips, which are nothing but grated cheese in a thin layer, toasted in a bit of butter and then cut into chips. Don't try making them with anything but real cheese, though, like cheddar or parmesan. If you use a processed cheese product, you'll just end up with an oily mess, instead of delicious toasted cheese lace-like chips. Yum!
You're more than welcome to use whatever cheese-like substance you want in your diet. That's your choice.
B2G
(9,766 posts)I see no reason not to enjoy both.
cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)Jenoch
(7,720 posts)Even though Velveeta is a 'cheese food' and you choose not to eat it, it does have its uses. The Kraft plant in New Ulm lost 90 jobs when they moved Velveeta production to Illinois.
Dorian Gray
(13,493 posts)(and you weren't asking me as I wasn't arguing the point), but I don't either. I find all of those cheese spreads gross. Real cheese or nothing for me.
(Even single sliced Kraft cheeses melted on a burger gross me out.)
I feel like I can taste plastic in them.
Though I've been known to have cheese cake (made with cream cheese). That's probably the one exception. I love cheese cake!
ronnie624
(5,764 posts)is found in other products as well, like infant formulas, protein bars, yogurt and frozen confections. You probably consume it on a regular basis, without even realizing it.
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)It is derived from milk the same as cheese. The process of making cheese also concentrates milk proteins. The processes are different, but the basic ingredient is the same.
ronnie624
(5,764 posts)MurrayDelph
(5,294 posts)where one can get real cheese.
"Cheese food" sounds too much like you're not getting cheese, you're getting what cheese eats.
And don't get me started on Cheese Whiz.
TeeYiYi
(8,028 posts)...with celery sticks when I was younger.
I haven't purchased Cheez Whiz in over a decade so I decided to buy some for a Christmas party this year. I don't know what that shit was but it didn't even resemble it's former self. It looked like oily sludge. So much for overly processed cheese products in a jar. There is no longer anything remotely cheesy about it.
TYY
Jenoch
(7,720 posts)they took out all of the real cheese in Cheez Whiz in 2001. Prior to that it did contain real cheese.
TeeYiYi
(8,028 posts)...probably rejoiced the day they took all the cheese out of Cheese Whiz. As a result, former Cheez Whiz addicts have been forced to buy and consume actual, real cheese. Probably a win all around but I do miss my Cheez Whiz stuffed celery sticks.
TYY
Jenoch
(7,720 posts)I wonder if the Phildelphia cheesesteak places noticed the change back in 2001.
I bought an off brand of Cheez Whiz at Aldi a while back and was disappointed. I thought I should buy actual Cheez Whiz, now I know better.
IntravenousDemilo
(5,431 posts)And salt. Lots and lots lots of salt.
Jenoch
(7,720 posts)creators of Cheez Whiz who tasted it in in 2001 and discovered it no longer had any actual cheese.
MineralMan
(146,288 posts)Last edited Fri Jan 10, 2014, 10:27 AM - Edit history (1)
Great cheese is made in all of the dairy states. In North Carolina, I saw a billboard that red, "See cheese made - next exit." I took the next exit.
Atman
(31,464 posts)Cheese and maple syrup. Cabot cheese and a great regional brand, Grafton Country Store, both are located there...and have great tasting centers! Cabot's company store is funny, because it's right near one of the big ski resorts. At the end of the day the place is filled up with broke-ass snowboarders scarfing down the free samples for dinner.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)A typo or two, if you care about that sort of thing.
MineralMan
(146,288 posts)bluestate10
(10,942 posts)MineralMan
(146,288 posts)That's where I lived most of my life. Still, Vermont Country Store has some excellent aged cheddar. It's all good, as long as it's real cheese.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)engaging wine snobs.
Personally, I enjoy a proper fontina d'aosta (if you can find one any more) and always have small stocks of proper cheddars and swisses around, but that 2 pound brick of Velveeta in the fridge door I got for 8 bucks is just perfect for a burger or a (horribly low-class) bologna sandwich.
Cheez-whiz, on the other hand, I can't stand, but still don't think all that badly of those who do use it.
ronnie624
(5,764 posts)the snobs consume milk protein concentrate regularly, without even realizing it. I don't really care for Velveeta, so I never buy it, but I would never begrudge anyone else enjoying it.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)Ingredients: NONFAT MILK AND MILKFAT, WHEY, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, MILK, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, MALTODEXTRIN, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, LACTIC ACID, SORBIC ACID AS A PRESERVATIVE, SODIUM ALGINATE, CITRIC ACID, SODIUM CITRATE, CHEESE CULTURE, ENZYMES, APOCAROTENAL AND ANNATTO (COLOR).
Now, which of these is the mystery ingredient destined to kill us all?
(And you might be surprised when you find out what apocarotenol is...)
bluestate10
(10,942 posts)elehhhhna
(32,076 posts)my snobfoodie sister and I LOVED it. Salty but good.
liberal N proud
(60,334 posts)The only way you can have a shortage of this stuff is to cut back on production. I really doubt it is because demand is up.
IntravenousDemilo
(5,431 posts)randome
(34,845 posts)[hr][font color="blue"][center]The truth doesnt always set you free.
Sometimes it builds a bigger cage around the one youre already in.[/center][/font][hr]
Atman
(31,464 posts)Up here in New England, people will rush to the supermarkets and stock up on ANYTHING if they think a snowstorm is coming. This, despite the fact that it is New England, and it has snowed here since the invention of snow itself. When did people get so fucking stupid?
Atman
(31,464 posts)"Cheesy PR stunt, or real shortage?"
Funniest comment was about someone who had lots of it in storage. They joked that it probably doesn't go bad anyway, and has a long shelf life, so don't worry about any shortage.
What a brilliant scam...they've got everyone talking about it. BRILLIANT!
randome
(34,845 posts)[hr][font color="blue"][center]Birds are territorial creatures.
The lyrics to the songbird's melodious trill go something like this:
"Stay out of my territory or I'll PECK YOUR GODDAMNED EYES OUT!"[/center][/font][hr]
jmowreader
(50,557 posts)Most supermarkets don't put it in the refrigerated case. Until you open it, there's no need.
Orrex
(63,207 posts)And we weren't a "brand name" family growing up, so I'm not sure that I've ever actually consumed it.
No judgment on those who favor this product. Just an idle thought.
Vashta Nerada
(3,922 posts)quinnox
(20,600 posts)And not just because it melts well, but I also use it straight as cheese in cold sandwiches. I like the flavor of it.
B2G
(9,766 posts)A few chunks always seem to be missing from the recipe.
Manifestor_of_Light
(21,046 posts)And I'm an atheist.
It's not real cheese. Please use real cheese.
Cool Whip is also an abomination unto the Lord. It's cottonseed oil, like the fake ice cream, soft serve, they have at Dairy Queen. No way.
If you have to hide your dessert under Cool Whip, you have a problem.
Please use REAL whipped cream, using a carton of heavy cream and a mixer, or a can of Reddi Wip.
That's your free cooking advice for today.
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)Or by-product.
Blue Owl
(50,355 posts)n/t
Revanchist
(1,375 posts)I personally find it too salty for my taste
Glassunion
(10,201 posts)Just sayin'
spinbaby
(15,089 posts)...if you ever have to feed many people on a budget, Velveeta makes a very acceptable low-cost mac & cheese:
Cook until almost done, 4 cups (1 pound) of elbow macaroni.
Drain macaroni and mix in 2 sticks (1 cup) of frozen butter, cut into small pieces.
Put macaroni mix into slow cooker with 4 pounds of cubed Velveeta and 6 cups of milk.
Cook on high for 3 hours, stirring now and then.
This requires a large six-quart slow cookerit wont fit into the smaller round ones.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)countryjake
(8,554 posts)Colby they're just trying to start a clabber before Super Bowl.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Color me bleu.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)Dorian Gray
(13,493 posts)I'm thankful I don't give a shit about their "shortage."
IntravenousDemilo
(5,431 posts)Maybe not as evil and exploitative as Nestlé or Monsanto, but getting up there.
Responsible people will avoid their products like the plague.
dembotoz
(16,802 posts)is what is awful
Response to elehhhhna (Original post)
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