Pepper Jack Cheese: Cultured Milk

Pepper Jack cheese is a semi-firm cow's milk cheese flavored with spicy peppers. It is made by adding bacterial cultures and enzymes (rennet) to milk, which causes it to coagulate. The curds are then cut, heated, and pressed into blocks, with peppers added during the process.

Manufacturers add pepper jack cheese for its savory, slightly spicy flavor and creamy texture. It is commonly used in sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas, pizzas, and as a topping for nachos and baked dishes.

Pepper Jack cheese is a dairy product and a source of protein and calcium. Like other full-fat cheeses, it is high in saturated fat. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting saturated fat intake to less than 10% of daily calories. Regulatory bodies like the FDA have not set specific upper intake limits for cheese itself, but it is a common food item evaluated within broader dietary patterns.