Although the only difference between the two is an oxygen molecule they are very different substances with different chemical properties,” says Lee Finell, a registered nutritionist representing Alberta’s Dairy Producers. An experiment in which milk has been polymerized to “natural plastic” similar to synthetic plastics in stores has been preformed. It involves precipitating out the casein by adding vinegar (an acid) and heat. This concept can be applied to Cheez Whiz, so if you just consider natural plastics, Cheez Whiz is indeed only one step away from plastic! - Nicole Hiebert, Brittany Richardson, Suzy Nguyen and Kyle Dehaan

Avoid high-cholesterol eggs. Fat is bad for you. Skipping breakfast will keep you slim! Urban food myths have become commonplace, cropping up all over the food world, continuing to mystify even the most knowledgeable people. The more ridiculous the myth, the more widespread it will become. That begs the question: Is Cheez Whiz really one step away from being plastic?

For nearly five decades, Cheez Whiz has been manufactured as a commercial cheese spread as it is composed of 47% milk fat. According to Kim McMiller, Associate Director, Consumer Relations of Kraft Canada Inc., the procedure for making Cheez Whiz “begins by blending natural cheeses, milk solids and canola oil heated with an emulsifier. The emulsifier helps the blending process. The result is a cheese of uniform flavour and texture. It is more spreadable and melts better than natural cheese. Casein is a protein found in cow´s milk and as such is a dairy ingredient. In addition, any and all preservatives will be listed on the ingredient line of the product. The milk in all our products is pasteurized.” An abundant component of milk, casein constitutes about 80 % of the total proteins, and is also a primary ingredient in cheese. Casein can be precipitated from milk by addition of heat and vinegar. These conditions denature the casein (disturbs the casein micelle granules) which then unfolds and rearranges into long chain polymers, and comes out of solution as a curd.

Should plastic be defined in layman terms, it is a material that can be heated and moulded, but retains its shape after cooling. Plastics can be made of long chains (polymers) consisting of small molecules like proteins. Plastic can be divided into two forms: natural plastics (silk and rubber) and synthetic plastics (vinyl and acrylics). “Even if the statement that cheese whiz is one molecule away from plastic is true, it is essentially meaningless. Many disparate substances share similar chemical properties but even one molecule difference in their molecular structure can make a huge difference in the qualities of those substances. A common example is water and hydrogen peroxide.

Making plastic from milk products

Is Cheez Whiz one step awayfrom plastic?

3

Is Cheez Whiz really one step away from plastic?

Brittany, Kyle, Suzy, Nicole

- Milk and Part-Skim Milk- Water- Whey- Milkfat - Sodium Phosphate - < 2% Of Dried Corn Syrup - Salt - Worcestershire Sauce- Natural Preservative - Annatto (Coloring) - Oleoresin Paprika - Enzymes

• According to Kraft foods, Cheez Whiz is considered a “processed cheese

sauce.”

• Made of scrap trimmings of natural cheddar blended and heated together with salt, preservatives and color.

• Kraft has withheld information for proprietary reasons leading us to believe there is more to Cheez Whiz to “add personality”…

Traditional:

•Butter

•Skim/ Whole Milk Powder

•Evaporated Milk

•Cheese

•Yogurt

Non Traditional:

•Whey Powder,

•Whey Protein Concentrate and Milk Protein Concentrate

•Lactose

Proteins

•Casein, albumin, and globulin

•Plant oils

•Fossil fuels

•Heterochain polymers: Oxygen, Nitrogen, Sulfur

•Long Carbon chains

• Milk is simply saturated fat, protein, lactose, and vitamins and minerals including vitamin C and calcium.

• The specific composition differs between species.

• During the cheese making process, most of the lactose is removed when the protein and milkfat is congealed.

• Milkfat is a sugar molecule surrounded by a lipid membrane; the composition of the cheese depends on the type of milk used and the method of production.

• Plastic: A material that can be heated and molded so that it keeps its molded shape after it cools. We consider plastics to be made of long chains (polymers) consisting of small molecules (proteins).•A protein called casein makes up about 80% of the total proteins in cow’s milk, and is also a main ingredient in

cheese/ Cheez Whiz.•There is an experiment in which milk is polymerized to a “natural plastic” similar to those synthetic plastics in the

store. It involves precipitating out the casein by adding vinegar (an acid) and heat. •This concept can be applied to Cheez Whiz, so if you just consider natural plastics, Cheez Whiz is indeed only one step away from plastic!•Examples of natural plastics:

• Silk from silkworms• Latex/ rubber from the bark of certain trees