The Kraft parmesan cheese is one of the best products from this food manufacturing company. The quality and taste of Kraft parmesan have made it one of the top picks among buyers. But gluten sensitivity stops a lot of people from laying their hands on Kraft parmesan cheese, considering it may not be safe. Is that true?
There are no gluten ingredients in the Kraft parmesan cheese, and there are no allergy warnings in the packaging as well. However, the packaging doesn’t bear the gluten free tag.
Considering a food completely gluten free needs thorough verification. Just the absence of wheat or barley isn’t enough to consider anything gluten free.
Hence, let’s see if there are any chances of Kraft parmesan cheese getting contaminated with gluten and whether it’s absolutely safe for celiacs or not in this article.
Table of Contents
Is Kraft Parmesan Cheese Gluten Free?
Going by the ingredient list, Kraft parmesan cheese is gluten free. The cheese is made from pasteurized skim milk, salt, enzymes, cheese culture, and some preservatives. These ingredients bear no traces of gluten.
Additionally, Kraft discloses allergen warnings in all their products. Their parmesan cheese does not have the gluten allergy warning indicating the product is safe for gluten sensitive people.
But what still raises concern is that Kraft doesn’t label their parmesan cheese as gluten free. This is because Kraft manufacturers other food items which have gluten, and they may not prepare the parmesan cheese in a separate gluten free facility.
This puts the cheese at risk of cross-contamination if this is made in a shared facility. Again the absence of a gluten free label means that they haven’t tested the product under the gluten free test.
I am slightly gluten intolerant, and my personal experience with Kraft parmesan cheese isn’t that bad. I have tried their cheese a couple of times and haven’t experienced any side effects.
But if you are highly gluten sensitive or a celiac, I would recommend you consult your dietician before consuming it. Cross checking things is always better to avoid any adverse health conditions.
Related Posts:- Is Mead Gluten Free?
Is Kraft Parmesan Cheese Real Cheese?
Kraft Parmesan cheese does come close to real parmesan cheese. Normal parmesan cheese is made from milk, bacteria cultures, salt, and rennet. The Kraft parmesan cheese uses almost the same ingredients like skim milk, cheese culture, salt, and enzymes, so you can expect a similar taste.
You can use Kraft parmesan in your dishes like you would use normal parmesan cheese. You can expect to get the same nutty, salty taste parmesan cheese is known to have.
Is Kraft Parmesan Cheese Vegan?
Kraft parmesan cheese isn’t vegan. Apart from dairy milk, the cheese contains lipase, which is derived from animals. Therefore, Kraft parmesan cheese isn’t suitable for a vegan diet.
Is Kraft Parmesan Cheese Healthy And Have The Same Nutrition As Real Parmesan Cheese?
Kraft parmesan cheese is a good source of protein and fat. The cheese is made from skim milk, which is pretty low fat. Plus, there are no artificial flavorings and preservatives in the cheese, so you can consider it healthy.
But if you are trying to shed some extra calories, avoid regular consumption of Kraft cheese. Having it once in a while is fine and won’t disbalance your diet.
Let’s take a look at the nutritional information of kraft grated parmesan cheese per 2 tsp (source)
- Calories- 20
- Total fat- 1.5g
- Saturated fat- 1g
- Trans fat- 0
- Cholesterol- less than 5mg
- Sodium- 80mg
- Total carbs- 0g
- Dietary fiber- 0g
- Sugars- 0g
- Protein- 2g
- Calcium- 4%
- Vitamin D- 0%
- Potassium- 0%
- Iron- 0%
There isn’t a huge nutrition difference between Kraft parmesan cheese and the basic variety making it a quality product.
How To Make Gluten Free Parmesan Cheese At Home
Making parmesan cheese at home isn’t that difficult. With some little effort, you can definitely make parmesan that tastes almost the same as store-bought ones. Here is a popular parmesan recipe to try at home, which is gluten free and healthy at the same time.
Homemade gluten free parmesan recipe
Ingredients
- 2 gallons of fresh cow’s milk
- 1 packet direct-set thermophilic culture
- ¼ tsp lipase powder
- Rennet (you can use double-strength liquid vegetable rennet, liquid animal rennet, or vegetable rennet table)
- 1 gallon water
- 2 lbs Sea salt
- Olive oil
Equipment
- Curd knife
- Large pot
- Thermometer
- Cheese press
- Cheesecloth
- Wire whisk
Method
- Heat mill till it recess 87°F. Use the thermometer to check the temperature.
- Mix lipase powder in ¼ cup cold water and let it sit for 20 minutes.
- Add lipase and thermophilic culture and mix well.
- Let the milk ferment for 45 minutes. Keep it covered during the fermentation process.
- Dilute the rennet in ½ cup of cold water and slowly add it to the fermented milk. The temperature should not be more than 90°F. Now let the milk sit for another 45 minutes at the same temperature until the whey starts separating from the curd. The curd will start pulling away from the sides of the pot, and the whey will float on its top.
- Now using the butter knife cut the cut into cubes. Use a whisk to stir the curd and then slice it into small pieces. Now heat the curd to 100°F slowly and keep stirring.
- Now increase the temperature to 125°F while continuing to stir. Try biting one small piece. It should have a stretchy texture. If it has reached this consistency, turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Pour the curd into a cheesecloth and squeeze out the excess water. Now press the cheese using five pound pressure for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cheesecloth and use a fresh one, and press again with ten pounds of pressure for 30 minutes. Again press for 2 hours using the 15 pounds pressure, and for the last time, use the 10 pounds pressure overnight.
- Mix the sea salt with one gallon of water to make brine. Keep the cheese soaked in the brine for 24 hours; after taking out the cheese from the brine, age it for about eight months at 55 to 60°F.
Conclusion
Kraft Parmesan cheese does not have any gluten ingredients, so it’s gluten free. But we can’t claim it to be safe for celiacs since they don’t bear the gluten tag. Hence, it’s best if celiacs avoid Kraft parmesan cheese or they consult their health advisor before eating the Kraft parmesan cheese.
FAQs
Is Kraft Parmesan actual parmesan?
Yes, Kraft parmesan is actual parmesan. It’s made using the same ingredients as real parmesan cheese.
Is Kraft powdered parmesan cheese gluten free?
Kraft Powdered parmesan does not have any gluten ingredients, but they haven’t labeled it as gluten free.
Is Kraft Parmesan cheese lactose-free?
Yes, Kraft parmesan cheese is lactose-free, so it won’t cause any allergic reactions.
Can celiacs have Kraft parmesan?
Celiacs can have pure parmesan cheese, which is prepared in a gluten free facility without the chance of cross-contamination.
