What's going on with cheese?

[ilovebagpuss]

So sorry, to ask such a dull question but I can't take it anymore. Why is all cheddar suddenly disgusting slimy blocks of plastic cheese? OK I'm not talking M&S but Sainsburys, Aldi and Lidl "extra mature" is all disgusting.
I've spent about 3/4 quid on a block and it's too foul to eat. It's not off or mouldy its just non tasting rubber.
Can anyone explain why this is? Shortage of something ?

Disappointed but glad it's not just me.
I've never had Covid but had the jabs.
To be totally fair, lots of things have lost their flavor. My sense of smell has increased a lot and I find many things 'off'.
We should do a poll!

Thank you Op! I'm in Ireland too &adore cheese but all of my favourites now taste vile
. Lidl vintage cheddar (black package) Supervalu own brand and everything in between it all tastes rubbery and synthetic and you can almost feel you arteries clogging after eating it.

I'm going to show my ignorance here and I apologise fully in advance. I have been hiding from the political shouting since the Brexit fiasco.

When you say Ireland do you mean the Republic and not Northern Ireland? I'm asking this as I believe the Republic is still in the EU, with its manufacturing and food rules and therefore the British cheese rubbish isn't down to Brexit? Even if manufactured in the UK they would still have to follow EU rules to sell it to you?

I'm am actually embarrassed to post this...

Fascinated to find out the answer to this. Where had @kateandme gone? The suspense is killing me!!!

Is that you Gromit?

Interesting. I can't it cows milk so I have cheddar made with goats milk and that has also been slimy recently. The other non-cheddar goats cheese I eat hasn't changed though. What is going on?

Eat not it

Maybe buy slightly more expensive cheese that will last because you don’t need as much due to intense taste. Snowdonia black bomber is amazing

At that price, it'd have to be. Can't make sarnies with that.

This is bonkers. Definitely slimy blocks of cheese, but I only eat melted so not such an issue but the slimy block grosses me out

I noticed it with red Leicester first. Seems like a move towards American cheese to me. I don't know what they do to it there, but when we went 15ish years ago the 'cheese' was inedible- greasy, slimy, tasteless...

I doubt it something limited to UK/EU as it's the same here. We have never had as great selection as you do, but now it's even worse.

The one that really pisses me off is some imported cheese, looks OK on the shelf. Get it home and slice it, and it crumbles. Sure sign that it's been frozen for transit. I didn't know it was imported until I closely inspected the label. But what a way to instantly ruin it.

But we can't enjoy a good old cheese and biscuits the same way anymore.

We use this as it's often in DH's Nectar prices. It's very nice (and will be why I've not noticed this issue).

Could it be to do with the drought over the summer, grass dying off, affecting cows’ diet and therefore the taste and fat content of the milk/cheese?

It will be cost related I’m sure.

I agree. Can't find anything I like atm.

OMG I thought it was just a bad batch or a problem with our fridge!
The cheese is sweaty, doesn't melt or brown properly and tastes rubbery and bland. Doesn't smell great either. Also buy extra mature full fat from all the usual offenders.

I remember Canadian cheese, it was very nice.

I'd noticed the same and bought some artisan stuff at the weekend. Though it wasn't as good as I remembered it.
I also notice that Tesco bacon just tastes of salt. Coop is more flavourful.

Is that you Yoda?

I've found my people!

Made my first roast of the autumn yesterday including a cauliflower cheese. The cheese didn't really melt. When I took it out of the oven you could actually still see the shapes of the grated cheese even through the top bits of cauliflower were thoroughly brown.

I assumed I'd lost my knack! But actually yes recently a cheese and chutney sandwich I've really only been enjoying the chutney.

What is happening. We need to find proper cheese again before we ruin the Christmas cheese board!

Oh no, oh no. Do you remember when Canadians complained their butter wasn't melting, and it turned out to be the stuff - palm oil I think? - they were feeding cows. Done in the name of higher productivity of course. Here's a CBC link:

www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5924757

I bet it's something similar- either something hideous they're feeding the cows/sheep/goats, or something they're inserting after milking.

homecookworld.com/cheese-wont-melt-in-the-oven/
Perhaps they are using a different type of vegetable rennet.

Sadly Irish cheese is going the same way.

This one is lovely.

I stopped buying the standard supermarket brands they have all gone downhill.

I find buying the more expensive/fancier ones like the one I've attached are usually ok.

Irish cheese has sadly gone the same way. Big Cheese needs to answer for this!