Primula Cheese with Chives (Squeeze Tube) — ENGINEERED
Munch or Dump rates Primula Cheese with Chives (Squeeze Tube) by Primula ENGINEERED — score 30/90.
Real cheese is the base, but a triple-phosphate emulsifier stack plus modified maize starch turn it into a shelf-stable processed cheese product, not a chunk of cheese.
Why this verdict
- Three stacked emulsifying salts (sodium phosphate, triphosphates, polyphosphates) restructure the cheese
- Modified maize starch added for texture/stability
- Built from reconstituted milk powder and whey powder, not just cheese
- Added phosphates raise the sodium and phosphate load
- NOVA 4 ultra-processed despite the real-cheese base
Ingredients (7)
- Cheese (56%) (milk) (safe) — Real cheese, the dominant ingredient — protein, calcium and fat from milk.
- Reconstituted skimmed milk powder (safe) — Dried skimmed milk plus water, used to bulk and standardize the dairy base.
- Water (safe) — Dilutes the vinegar to a usable acidity. Inert.
- Emulsifying salts (sodium phosphate, triphosphates, polyphosphates) (concerning) — A stack of three phosphate salts that melt and bind the cheese into a smooth spread; high phosphate intake is linked to kidney and cardiovascular strain, and they add sodium.
- Whey powder (milk) (safe) — Dried dairy by-product adding protein and bulk.
- Modified Maize Starch (moderate) — Chemically/physically altered starch used as a thickener and stabilizer — a marker of ultra-processing.
- Chives (0.8%) (safe) — A token amount of herb for flavor.