Method for preparing cheese products and process cheese bases

A method for preparing a process cheese base comprising:

• (1) mixing one or more concentrated powders derived from milk with sodium chloride, milk fat, water, and, optionally, an edible acid and a preservative for a period of time sufficient to produce a mixed product, wherein the concentrated powders are present in an amount ranging from about 25 to about 60 percent, wherein the sodium chloride is present in an amount ranging from about 0.5 to about 4.0 percent, wherein the milk fat is present in an amount ranging from about 9 to about 38 percent, wherein the edible acid is present in an amount ranging from 0 to about 2.0 percent, wherein the preservative is present in an amount ranging from 0 to about 0.2 percent, wherein the water is present at a level sufficient to form the process cheese base, wherein percentages are based on the total weight of the process cheese base, and wherein the milk fat during mixing is at a temperature of about 80 to about 140° F.;
• and
• (2) cooling the mixed product for a time and at a temperature which is sufficient to allow the mixed product to form a solid matrix that can be ground by a cheese grinding system, wherein the solid matrix is the process cheese base;
• wherein the process cheese base may be employed as a substitute for some or all of the natural cheese in a process for producing process cheese.