Low-cost, shelf-stable cheese sauce

Abstract

A cheese sauce and meal kit including at least one pouch containing the cheese sauce. The cheese sauce exhibits desirable texture and mouth-feel, as well as desirable flavor and visual appearance. Further, the cheese sauce has a shelf-life of up to twelve months or more. The cheese sauce generally includes cheese solids present in an amount from about 10 weight percent or less, at least one non-cheese dairy, water, a natural preservative such as nisin, at least one phosphate, salt, oil, and a savory flavor profile. The cheese sauce can be processed using a pasteurization process, and packaged using a hot fill process. The cheese sauce can be packaged into pouches and the like for use with meal kits and side dishes.

1 . A food kit having at least one cheese sauce pouch, the food kit comprising:
 at least one pre-packaged food product;   at least one pouch containing a cheese sauce, wherein the cheese sauce comprises:
 cheese solids present in an amount from about 10 weight percent or less, 
 at least one non-cheese dairy solid present in an amount from about 1 weight percent to about 25 weight percent, 
 water present in an amount from about 20 weight percent to about 60 weight percent, 
 nisin present in an amount from about 500 parts per million or less, 
 at least one phosphate salt present in an amount of about 1 parts per million to about 1000 parts per million, 
 sodium chloride present in an amount of about 0.1 weight percent to about 3 weight percent, and 
 oil present in an amount of about 10 weight percent to about 20 weight percent, 
   wherein a pH level of the cheese sauce is in a range from about 5.45 to about 5.65, and a moisture content of the cheese sauce is in a range from about 45.0 percent to about 54.0 percent; and   instructions to combine the at least one pre-packaged food product with the cheese sauce.   
     
     
         2 . The food kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pre-packaged food product comprises dried pasta, refrigerated pasta, snack chips, rice, taco bake, potatoes, dehydrated vegetables, refrigerated vegetables, dough products, pizza-making components, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The food kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-cheese dairy solid is selected from the group consisting of butter milk, whey, sweet whey, non-fat dry milk, skim milk condensed, part skim milk condensed, whole milk condensed, rennet casein, milk protein concentrate, ultra-filtered milk, caseinate, milk protein isolates, whey protein concentrates, milk permeate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The food kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the cheese solids of the cheese sauce is present in an amount of about 5 weight percent or less. 
     
     
         5 . The food kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the cheese sauce is processed and packaged using a pasteurization and hot fill process. 
     
     
         6 . The food kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the cheese sauce further comprises:
 a flavor system present in an amount of about 0.1 weight percent to about 10 weight percent, wherein the flavor system is selected from the group consisting of garlic powder, onion powder, tomato powder, cumin powder, chili powder, monosodium glutamate (MSG), jalapeno puree, onion puree, garlic puree, parsley, parsley puree, any of a variety of peppers, black pepper, sugar, artificial flavors, and combinations thereof.