Sauce: Cheese Sauce

Cheese sauce is a dairy-based sauce made primarily from cheese, often with milk, cream, butter, and sometimes thickeners like flour or cornstarch. It is typically heated until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Variations exist, with some recipes including spices, flavorings, or other ingredients.

Manufacturers use cheese sauce as a flavorful topping or ingredient to enhance the taste and texture of foods. Its creamy, savory profile makes it popular in a variety of dishes, especially in frozen and prepared meals.

Cheese sauce is generally considered safe for consumption. The FDA recognizes many common cheese sauce ingredients as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). Regulatory bodies like JECFA and EFSA have evaluated many individual components of cheese sauces, such as fats and thickeners, setting guidelines for their use. While generally safe in typical amounts, high consumption of cheese sauces can contribute to increased intake of saturated fat and sodium.