Authentic dairy cheeses compared to plant-based simulacra: Key distinctions and identification methods
Alicja Kowalska
2026-05-19
4 min. read
Authentic dairy cheeses compared to plant-based simulacra: Key distinctions and identification methods
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Cheese-like substitutes predominantly composed of plant-based fats—such as palm, rapeseed, or coconut oil—do not meet the legal definition of cheese. Under both European Union and national food regulations, the term "cheese" is strictly reserved for dairy products derived from the processing of animal milk, typically from cows, sheep, or goats. Misleading consumers by labeling plant-based products with terminology implying dairy origin is prohibited and constitutes a violation of consumer protection laws
The composition of the cheese is yellow
In addition to being high in fat and calories, cheeses provide us with more calcium than milk (e.g. 100 g of parmesan up to 1380 mg of calcium). Many people do not tolerate lactose in milk, and the consumption of cheeses no longer affects their digestive system. When choosing cheeses, let's not go to the price, 1 kg of cheese requires 10 12 l of milk. In addition, yellow cheese may contain: lysine (E1105), a natural preservative derived from chicken protein, fermenting lactic acid bacteria, which is responsible for the development of organic organisms that are toxic to the natural flora, and proteins, which are the basis for the release of organic compounds from the milk and can be extracted from cereal products.
The most counterfeit cheese in Poland
In addition to the type of milk used, we can now all year round buy micro-milk syrups from sheep's milk stores as well as from supermarkets. If each of us has tried the specialty of cows' milk syrup, or ossipka, but not everyone knows that it can only be made from sheep milk from May to September (sold through to October). Now we can buy microscopic milk syrups in sheep' stores and in supermarket stores.