The reputation of Sargento for creating 100% real, natural cheese is built on a foundation of straightforward, high-quality ingredients. This emphasis on simplicity is particularly evident in their sliced provolone, where the core components are minimal and directly tied to traditional cheesemaking methods. By examining the ingredients list, you can appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into producing this beloved Italian-style cheese and understand why it differs significantly from processed cheese alternatives.
Core Ingredients of Sargento Provolone
For many of its standard provolone products, Sargento's ingredient list is remarkably short and simple. These basic ingredients are the essential building blocks for creating a semi-hard cheese with a smooth, mellow flavor.
Pasteurized Milk
The foundation of any cheese is milk. Sargento uses high-quality pasteurized milk to ensure safety and consistency in their products. Pasteurization is a heating process that kills harmful bacteria, making the milk safe for consumption and providing a clean slate for the introduction of beneficial cheese cultures. For their reduced-fat provolone, Sargento uses pasteurized reduced-fat milk, maintaining the same high standard of safety. This dairy base provides the proteins and fats that ultimately form the cheese's body and creamy texture.
Cheese Culture
This is the secret behind the flavor and texture development in cheese. A cheese culture is a blend of specific, beneficial bacteria strains, carefully selected to create a desired outcome. In the case of provolone, which requires heating the curd to higher temperatures, a thermophilic (heat-loving) culture is used. These bacteria consume lactose, the natural sugar in milk, and convert it into lactic acid. This process not only preserves the cheese but also creates the characteristic tang and smooth texture associated with provolone.
Salt
Beyond adding flavor, salt serves several crucial purposes in cheesemaking. It helps to control the moisture content, which influences the cheese's final texture and firmness. Salt also plays a vital role in preventing the growth of unwanted bacteria and helps to preserve the cheese during its aging process.
Enzymes
Enzymes are the agents of coagulation that transform liquid milk into solid curds, a critical step in cheesemaking. The most common enzyme blend used is rennet, which causes the milk proteins (casein) to bind together, separating the solid curds from the liquid whey. While traditional rennet was animal-based, the vast majority of modern cheese production, including Sargento's, now relies on fermentation-produced chymosin (FPC), a vegetarian-friendly option. Sargento explicitly lists simply "enzymes" on many of their provolone product labels.
Natural Smoke Flavor
As the name implies, this ingredient is responsible for the mild, smoky taste found in many Sargento provolone varieties. This is a natural flavor derived from smoke, which is added to the cheese rather than using a traditional cold-smoking process.
Variations in Sargento Provolone Products
While the basic formula is simple, some Sargento provolone products include additional ingredients for specific purposes. It's important to check the individual package for the most accurate list.
- Ultra Thin Slices with Mold Inhibitor: Some sliced provolone products, particularly the Ultra Thin varieties, may contain Natamycin. This is a natural mold inhibitor used to keep the pre-sliced cheese fresher for longer in its resealable packaging.
- Reduced Fat Versions: In addition to using reduced-fat milk, the Reduced Fat Provolone includes Vitamin A Palmitate to restore some of the nutrients lost in the fat reduction process. It also often contains the mold inhibitor Natamycin.
- Shredded Blends: When provolone is combined with other cheeses and sold shredded, such as in the Shredded Mozzarella & Provolone blend, extra ingredients are necessary to prevent the cheese from clumping. These anti-caking agents typically include powdered cellulose and potato starch. These ingredients are only present in shredded products and are harmless food additives.
Comparison: Sargento Provolone vs. Processed Cheese
Understanding the ingredient difference is key to appreciating why Sargento proudly markets its provolone as real, natural cheese. A quick look at the ingredients of a processed cheese product highlights the stark contrast.
| Feature | Sargento Natural Provolone | Processed Cheese Food |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients | A few natural ingredients like milk, culture, salt, and enzymes. | Contains a blend of cheese, but also emulsifiers, stabilizers, colorings, and other additives. |
| Sourcing | Made from real cow's milk and other natural cheesemaking components. | Can contain as little as 51% real cheese, with the rest being other dairy or food ingredients. |
| Manufacturing | Follows a traditional cheesemaking process involving curd formation and aging. | Involves melting and emulsifying various ingredients to form a uniform product. |
| Flavor Profile | Offers a mild, mellow, and authentic cheese flavor, often with a hint of natural smoke. | Can have a more uniform, and often less complex, flavor profile due to the blending of various ingredients. |
| Labeling | Explicitly labeled as "100% Real, Natural Cheese". | Legally defined as "Pasteurized Process Cheese Food" or similar designations, indicating its processed nature. |
This comparison demonstrates that Sargento provolone is a simple, natural product, whereas processed cheese involves a more complex, synthetic process to achieve a specific texture and shelf life.
Conclusion: The Simplicity Behind the Flavor
The ingredient list for Sargento provolone is a testament to the brand's commitment to creating real, natural cheese. By using just a handful of fundamental components—pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, and enzymes—the company produces a high-quality product that stands apart from processed cheese alternatives. While minor variations in ingredients exist for specific products like reduced-fat or shredded blends, the core process remains focused on delivering an authentic, flavorful cheese experience. The optional addition of natural smoke flavor provides a classic twist, while other minimal additions like Natamycin in some sliced varieties enhance shelf life naturally. Ultimately, when you choose Sargento provolone, you are choosing a product rooted in the simplicity and tradition of real cheesemaking, proving that sometimes, less is more.
More resources on cheesemaking
Learn more about the components and techniques of cheesemaking by visiting reputable resources like Cheesemaking.com, which offers guides and recipes for aspiring cheesemakers. This can provide greater insight into the role of cultures and enzymes in cheese production. For specific product information, the most reliable source remains the Sargento Foods website.
