Cheese is yellow primarily due to the presence of beta-carotene in the milk from which it is made. Beta-carotene is a pigment found in fresh grass that cows eat, and it dissolves in the fat of the milk. When the milk is turned into cheese, the beta-carotene gives the cheese its yellow or orange color naturally. Additionally, some yellow cheeses have food coloring added, often annatto (a natural dye from the seeds of the tropical annatto tree), to enhance or maintain the color uniformly throughout the year. Goat cheese, by contrast, remains white because goats metabolize beta-carotene into vitamin A, which does not color the milk.
Natural Yellowing in Cheese
- Beta-carotene from fresh grass consumed by cows dissolves in the milk fat and gives a natural yellow hue to cheeses like cheddar and Parmesan.
- The natural color depends on the cow's diet and the fat content in the milk. Removing fat from milk also removes beta-carotene and the yellow color.
- Parmesan cheese, for example, gets its distinctive straw-yellow color naturally without any added coloring due to its production process and cows' diet.
Use of Food Coloring in Cheese
- Many yellow cheeses, particularly cheddar and Gouda, often have annatto added to maintain or intensify their characteristic orange-yellow color regardless of seasonal variations.
- Annatto does not affect the flavor but is used for visual appeal and consistency.
Differences in Milk from Different Animals
- Cow's milk contains beta-carotene which colors cheese yellow.
- Goat's milk lacks beta-carotene because goats convert it to vitamin A, so goat cheese remains white regardless of the diet.
In summary, the yellow color in cheese mainly comes from beta-carotene pigment in cow's milk fat from grass eaten by the cows, and sometimes from added natural coloring agents like annatto for consistency and appearance.
