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| Cheddar cheese | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country of origin | England |
| Region | Somerset |
| Town | Cheddar, Somerset |
| Source of milk | Cow |
| Pasteurised | Depends on variety |
| Texture | Relatively hard |
| Aging time | 3–24 months depending on variety |
| Certification |
|
| Named after | Cheddar |
 Related media on Commons | |
Cheddar cheese (or simply cheddar) is a natural cheese that is relatively hard, off-white (or orange if colourings such as annatto are added), and sometimes sharp-tasting. It originates from the English village of Cheddar in Somerset, South West England.[1]
Cheddar is produced all over the world, and cheddar cheese has no Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). In 2007, the name West Country Farmhouse Cheddar was registered in the European Union and (after Brexit) the United Kingdom, defined as cheddar produced from local milk within Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall and manufactured using traditional methods.[2][3] Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) was registered for Orkney Scottish Island Cheddar in 2013 in the EU,[4] which also applies under UK law.
Globally, the style and quality of cheeses labelled as cheddar varies greatly, with some processed cheeses packaged as "cheddar". Cheeses similar to Red Leicester are sometimes marketed as "red cheddar".
Cheddar is the most popular cheese in the UK, accounting for 51% of the country's £1.9 billion annual cheese market.[5] It is the second-most popular cheese in the United States behind mozzarella, with an average annual consumption of 10 lb (4.5 kg) per capita.[6] The United States produced approximately 3,000,000,000 lb (1,300,000 long tons; 1,400,000 tonnes) of cheddar in 2014,[7] and the UK produced 258,000 long tons (262,000 tonnes) in 2008.[8]
- ^ Smale, Will (21 August 2006). "Separating the curds from the whey". BBC Radio 4 Open Country. Retrieved 7 August 2007.
- ^ "West Country Farmhouse Cheddar”, gov.uk.
- ^ Brown, Steve; Blackmon, Kate; and Cousins, Paul. Operations management: policy, practice and performance improvement. Butterworth-Heinemann, 2001, pp. 265–266.
- ^ "Orkney Scottish Island Cheddar". European Union. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
- ^ "The Interview – Lactalis McLelland's 'Seriously': driving the Cheddar market". The Grocery Trader. Retrieved 9 May 2007.
- ^ "Cheese Sales and Trends". International Dairy Foods Association. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
- ^ "Quantity of cheddar cheese produced in the U.S. from 2004 to 2013 (in 1,000 pounds)". Statista. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
- ^ Rajan, Amol (22 September 2009). "The Big Question: If Cheddar cheese is British, why is so much of it coming from abroad?". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2010.