• What are the ingredients used to make Tillamook cheese?
• How do I ship cheese? How do I ship cheese overseas?
• How do I properly store my cheese?
• Does cheese contain lactose?
• What kind of rennet do you use?
• What is the liquid on the outside of my cheese?
• Are your cheddar cheeses OK for pregnant women?

What are the ingredients used to make Tillamook cheese? 

The ingredients used to make Tillamook cheddar cheese include cultured milk, enzymes, salt, and annatto.  All of our cheeses are made with a microbial/vegetable based enzymes, with the exception of Tillamook Vintage White Medium Cheddar Cheese and Tillamook Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, which use a traditional rennet.
top

How do I ship cheese? How do I ship cheese overseas?

Tillamook cheese is a perishable dairy product and requires refrigeration.  To ship Tillamook cheese, we would recommend UPS 2nd day mail.  We would also suggest enclosing a gel ice pack with the shipment to help keep the contents cool during transportation.  For those wishing to ship overseas to a foreign country, we would suggest an insulated package; along with several ice packs to keep the contents constantly cool during transportation.  In addition, check with customs for any restrictions.
top

How do I properly store my cheese?

Tillamook cheese can best be stored in its original package, covered tightly after opening, and placed in the coldest section of the refrigerator (under 40°F) to prevent drying out or becoming moldy.  When cutting, pull the wrapper back and cut off the desired amount of cheese.  Then fold the original wrapper back over the end of the cheese, press foil tightly over the end, place in an airtight, sealed plastic bag and refrigerate.  This should help slow the rate at which the cheese will mold.  Another method of storage involves dipping the cut surface of cheese in melted paraffin for a few seconds.
 
To help prevent mold on sliced or shredded cheese, avoid touching the cheese or putting your hand directly into the bag. Instead, remove the cheese with a clean utensil or, in the case of shredded product, pour it from the bag.

Sliced or shredded cheese should be used within 3-5 days of opening and always stored so as to prevent air from reaching the product.  Place any unused product in a resealable bag and remove air before closing.  While our smaller sized shreds come in resealable bags, our large 5# shred does not and you may want to separate the cheese into several resealable bags for storage and/or freezing.  
top

Does cheese contain lactose?

The lactose content of Tillamook cheese is significantly reduced, because the cultures added to the milk at the beginning of the cheesemaking process break down the lactose into lactic acid.  This process will not eliminate all of the lactose in the milk, but does significantly reduce the amount of lactose left in the cheese.  Many people that are lactose intolerant are able to enjoy natural cheeses.
top

What kind of rennet do you use?

A vital step in the process of making Tillamook cheese is the formation of cheese curd.  In order to begin this development, a material is added to coagulate the milk.  This material is an enzyme, a natural protein substance, which can cause certain specific chemical changes to take place.  Only extremely minute quantities of the enzyme are needed to coagulate the casein in milk.  For centuries, the only known source of a satisfactory milk coagulant for cheesemaking was an animal-derived enzyme.  This enzyme, named chymosin, is commonly referred to as rennet.

We use the microbial/vegetable-based enzyme (which has Kosher and Halal certification, and is approved for vegetarian products) to make all Tillamook cheese, with the exception of Tillamook Vintage White Medium Cheddar and Vintage White Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheeses.  Our unique flavor profile of Tillamook Vintage White is a result of using traditional rennet.
top

What is the liquid on the outside of my cheese?

Tillamook cheese is a natural cheese, and it is common to have natural cheeses develop a small amount of moisture inside the package.  In most cases this moisture will be minimal; however, there are circumstances where it might be quite a bit more noticeable.  In longer aged cheeses, the proteins in the cheese will give up moisture during the aging process.  You may simply wipe off the excess moisture and enjoy.
top

Are your cheddar cheeses OK for pregnant women?

Many pregnant women have shared with us their concerns about Tillamook Cheddar Cheese not being pasteurized. The issue of concern is infection from the microorganism Listeria monocytogenes, which is uncontrolled in raw milk cheeses and can grow to infection causing levels. I want to assure you that Tillamook Cheese is not made from raw milk and is safe for pregnant women. Both pasteurization and the heat-shock process destroy this organism. We understand and share these concerns for your baby’s health.

Most Tillamook Cheddar and Swiss Cheeses are made from “heat-shocked” milk, as the natural enzymes in milk, essential for the development of the Tillamook brand’s unique flavor, suffer from full pasteurization, where the milk is heated to 161°F and held at that temperature for 15 seconds.  Milk intended for cheddaring is heated to 152°F and held for 30 seconds at that temperature.

Because of this process, we are required to cure our cheddar and Swiss cheeses for a minimum of 60 days prior to marketing.  The length of time cheddar is held for aging determines whether it will be sold as medium (60 days), vintage white medium (100 days), sharp (minimum of 9 months), extra sharp (minimum of 15 months) and vintage white extra sharp (minimum of 2 years).  Tillamook garlic white, chili garlic, smoked black pepper white cheddars, Horseradish, Hot Habanero, monterey jack, colby, colby jack, pepper jack, reduced fat medium cheddar, reduced fat monterey jack, and mozzarella are made from pasteurized milk

top