MONOGRAPH NO.: M6A
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ITEM: Cheese Spread, Cheddar
ITEM SPECIFICATION: MIL-C-594
APPROXIMATE CALORIC VALUE: 169-174 Kilocalories (PRIMARY)
CHARACTERISTICS OF ITEM:
APPEARANCE: After kneading, spread should be smooth, homogeneous, pasty, dull
orange-yellow or off white (see Special Notes).
ODOR: Medium cured to sharp cheddar cheese, cooked milk.
FLAVOR: Cream cheese to sharp cheddar, salty, sometimes slightly bitter, buttery.
TEXTURE: Smooth, buttery consistency and easily spreadable at 70F.
DEFECTS LIKELY TO OCCUR:
APPEARANCE: Off-white cheese becomes medium gray to moderately tan. Yellow
cheese varies from faded yellow to moderately tan to brown, may exhibit slightly green
areas at edges. Product tends to separate (oiled off) (see Special Notes).
ODOR: Old cheddar, scorched milk, sour.
FLAVOR: Bitter, overcooked/scorched milk, slight metallic, acidic/sour.
TEXTURE: Curdled, grainy, gummy, rubbery, excessively thick or excessively oily.
UNIQUE EXAMINATION/TEST PROCEDURES: Knead package prior to opening. If
mold growth is observed, examine package for tears, cuts and/or holes especially at the
juncture of the product edge of the seals and the body of the pouch. If pouch integrity
has been compromised, score the pouch defect, and note findings in the narrative
(evidence of mold, desiccation, dark color, and so forth).
SPECIAL NOTES: Color of product varies by year of pack. For DOPs of 1980-85 color
should be orange-yellow; 1986-88 color should be off-white to light tan; however, slight
hints of pink have been noted. The major problem with this item has been the effects of
long-term storage on its color. Color changes are unavoidable; therefore, color alone
should not be the sole factor for making judgments unless it is so far off that the user is
unlikely to consume the product. However, other normal degradative processes turn
the off-white cheese to light beige as it ages, even under ideal storage conditions. The
yellow cheese tends to fade, thereby allowing the browning color to prevail.
Figure 3-1. Example monograph.
MD0718
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