Cheese powder
Cheese powder suppliers and sourcing guide
Cheese powder is cheese dried to a shelf-stable powder. Natural cheese, often aged cheddar, parmesan or blue, is ground and blended with water and emulsifying salts such as sodium phosphate into a smooth slurry, sometimes with whey, buttermilk, salt and color, then pasteurized and spray-dried. Brands buy high-cheese powders and cheese seasoning blends for snack coatings, sauces, pasta mixes and bakery fillings.
- Category
- Food staples and powders
- Also known as
- Dehydrated cheese · Dried cheese · Spray-dried cheese powder · Cheddar cheese powder
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of cheese powder
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
High-cheese powder
Mostly cheese solids from one variety plus emulsifying salts, for strong flavor in sauces and coatings.
Cheese seasoning blends
Cheese powder blended with whey, maltodextrin, salt, flavors and color for snack seasoning.
Enzyme-modified cheese powder
Cheese treated with enzymes to concentrate flavor, used at low levels.
Dehydrated grated cheese
Hard cheeses such as parmesan grated and dried rather than slurried and spray-dried.
Color-free or organic
Grades without added annatto or other color, or made from organic cheese.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Moisture and fat
- Moisture by oven or Karl Fischer and fat by Mojonnier or Roese-Gottlieb, the main composition specs.
- Salt and pH
- Salt by chloride titration and pH of a reconstituted sample, which affect flavor and sauce stability.
- Composition statement
- The cheese varieties and percent cheese solids, plus the full ingredient statement for blends.
- Microbiology
- Standard plate count, coliforms, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella and Listeria.
- Color and flavor
- Instrumental color and a sensory check against a retained standard.
- Particle size and flow
- Sieve analysis and flow behavior, which matter for seasoning drums and dry mixes.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Cheese powder is high in fat and hygroscopic, so keep it sealed in lined bags in a cool, dry place away from heat and strong odors; warmth and air cause off-flavors, fat oxidation and caking. Some grades call for refrigerated storage. Follow the supplier's specification for shelf life and storage temperature.
Lots and expiry dates
Flavor strength, color, salt and fat vary with the age and lot of the base cheese. Record moisture, fat and salt for each lot, keep a retained sample for flavor matching, and rotate stock first-in, first-out since flavor fades with age.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 133.146 defines grated cheeses as foods made by grinding, grating, shredding or otherwise comminuting standardized cheese; moisture may be removed in manufacture, but no moisture is added.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)Under 21 CFR 133.146, the name of the food must be accompanied by a declaration of the specific cheese variety used and of any added spice or flavoring.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)FDA lists milk among the major food allergens in the United States.
Source: fda.gov (opens in a new tab)
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Cheese powder suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking cheese powder suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell cheese powder? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of cheese powder can brands buy?
Common forms include high-cheese powder, cheese seasoning blends, enzyme-modified cheese powder, dehydrated grated cheese and color-free or organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for cheese powder include?
Expect moisture and fat, salt and pH, composition statement, microbiology, color and flavor and particle size and flow, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should cheese powder be stored?
Cheese powder is high in fat and hygroscopic, so keep it sealed in lined bags in a cool, dry place away from heat and strong odors; warmth and air cause off-flavors, fat oxidation and caking. Some grades call for refrigerated storage. Follow the supplier's specification for shelf life and storage temperature.
What is the regulatory status of cheese powder?
21 CFR 133.146 defines grated cheeses as foods made by grinding, grating, shredding or otherwise comminuting standardized cheese; moisture may be removed in manufacture, but no moisture is added. Under 21 CFR 133.146, the name of the food must be accompanied by a declaration of the specific cheese variety used and of any added spice or flavoring. FDA lists milk among the major food allergens in the United States.
More food staples and powders
- Cocoa powderCocoa · Cacao powder
- Chocolate liquorCocoa liquor · Cocoa mass
- Cocoa nibsCacao nibs · Cracked cocoa
- Roasted coffeeCoffea arabica · Coffea canephora
- Instant coffeeSoluble coffee · Instant coffee powder
- MatchaMatcha green tea powder · Powdered green tea
- Black teaCamellia sinensis · Thea sinensis
- Nonfat dry milkNFDM · Skim milk powder
- Whole milk powderDry whole milk · WMP
- Sweet whey powderDry sweet whey · Dried whey
- Buttermilk powderDry buttermilk · Dried sweet cream buttermilk
- Dried whole eggDried eggs · Whole egg powder
Sell ingredients to brands?
Request a free listing for the ingredients you make or distribute. No paid placement.