(a)

(1) Grated American cheese food is the food prepared by mixing, with or without the aid of heat, one or more of the optional cheese ingredients prescribed in paragraph (b) of this section with one or more of the optional ingredients prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section, into a uniformly blended, partially dehydrated, powdered, or granular mixture.

(2) Grated American cheese food contains not less than 23 percent of milkfat, as determined by the method prescribed in §133.5(b).

(b) The optional cheese ingredients referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, and granular cheese.

(c) The other optional ingredients referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are:

(1) Nonfat dry milk.

(2) Dried whey.

(3) An emulsifying agent consisting of one or any mixture of two or more of the emulsifying ingredients named in §133.173(e)(1), in such quantity that the weight of the solids thereof is not more than 3 percent of the weight of the grated American cheese food.

(4) An acidifying agent consisting of one or more of the acid-reacting ingredients named in §133.173(e)(2).

(5) Salt.

(6) Artificial coloring.

(d) The name of the food is “Grated American cheese food”. The full name of the food shall appear on the principal display panel of the label in type of uniform size, style, and color. Wherever any word or statement emphasizing the name of any ingredient appears on the label (other than in an ingredient statement as specified in paragraph (e) of this section) so conspicuously as to be easily seen under customary conditions of purchase, the full name of the food shall immediately and conspicuously precede or follow such word or statement in type of at least the same size as the type used in such word or statement.

(e) Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label as required by the applicable sections of parts 101 and 130 of this chapter, except that cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, granular cheese, or any mixture of two or more of these may be designated “American cheese”.

[42 FR 14366, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 49 FR 10094, Mar. 19, 1984; 58 FR 2893, Jan. 6, 1993]