What is avian influenza?
What is H5N1?
Can people get avian influenza from eating poultry or eggs?
How have humans contracted avian influenza?
Has avian influenza been transmitted from human to human?
Crystal Farms has Pasteurized Eggs. Are pasteurized egg products safe?
Where may I get more information on the Avian Flu?

What is Cheese?
What are the health benefits of cheese?
Are animal byproducts used in the manufacturing of Crystal Farms Cheese?
What type of culture is used to make cheese?
Does your cheese contain animal enzymes?
Can cheese be frozen?
Why is some cheese moldy before being opened?
How should I store my cheese?
What is the difference between Colby and Longhorn?
What is the difference between White and Colored Cheddar Cheese?
Does your cheese contain gluten?
My cheese has white flakes on it, what is it?
What do you use for food coloring in your cheddar cheese?
Is Crystal Farms cheese lactose tolerant?
What is "It's So Cheesy" sauce and aerosol cheese?
Can I get sick from eating mold?
Should cheese be served warm or cold?
Can I freeze cream cheese?
What will cause cream cheese to ball up while mixing?
Can I freeze Ricotta cheese?
My Ricotta cheese has a gel-like substance in it, is this ok to eat?

What is the shelf life of shell eggs?
My pasteurized egg whites are cloudy. Is this safe?
Can eggs be frozen?
How long do you boil an egg to hard cook them?
How long can you keep an egg in the refrigerator after hard-boiling?
What are blood spots in eggs?

How long before butter goes bad?
Can butter be frozen?
Why is the price of butter often so high?
Which is healthier, butter or margarine?
Why is it important to limit Trans Fats?
What is the difference between Grade AA and Grade A Butter?

What percentage of your margarine is vegetable oil?
What are the Trans Fats content in margarine?

What causes bagels and English muffins to mold?
How much bread should I eat a day?

Kosher Inquires
Can I use a product past the expiration date?
What does the Use By date on Crystal Farms packaging mean?
Does Crystal Farms have any job postings online?

What is avian influenza?
Avian influenza, commonly know as "bird flu," is a disease caused by a virus that occurs naturally among birds. It is usually a mild disease which does not cause the bird to become sick.

What is H5N1?
H5N1 is the most recent strain of avian influenza. This strain is highly contagious among birds and is often fatal to birds. There have been no known outbreaks of the H5N1 virus in North America.

Can people get avian influenza from eating poultry or eggs?
People cannot contract avian influenza from eating properly handled and cooked poultry or eggs.

How have humans contracted avian influenza?
Humans have contracted avian influenza through close and direct contact with infected birds. Most human cases have occurred in rural areas where many households keep small poultry flocks which often roam freely. There have been no known outbreaks of the H5N1 virus in North America.

Has avian influenza been transmitted from human to human?
There is no evidence of the avian influenza being transmitted between humans.

Crystal Farms has Pasteurized Eggs. Are pasteurized egg products safe?
USDA egg pasteurization conditions will effectively eliminate the H5N1 virus from a variety of egg product categories (Swayne, Avian Pathology, 33(5), 512-518). Crystal Farms Pasteurized Eggs are pasteurized under USDA supervision.

Where may I get more information on the Avian Flu?
For more information please visit the following websites: Center for Disease Control and Prevention @ www.cdc.gov or the U.S. Department of Agriculture @ www.usda.gov

What is Cheese?
All cheese is made from milk. Cheese is made by curdling or coagulating milk, stirring and heating the curd, draining off the whey which is the watery part of the milk, and collecting and pressing the curd. Various manufacturing and aging processes produce a wide variety of cheeses. Some cheese varieties require ripening or aging.

What are the health benefits of cheese?
Cheese is a natural product with far fewer preservatives and additives than many other foods. Milk, its main ingredient, is a rich source of calcium. In fact, a 1oz serving of natural mild cheddar cheese has 20% of the adult daily recommended nutritional intake of calcium and 8% of vitamin A. This same amount also has 6 grams of protein and zero transfats.

Are animal byproducts used in the manufacturing of Crystal Farms Cheese?
No. A product called Chymosin, which is produced by fermentation, is used in the coagulation or setting up process.

What type of culture is used to make cheese?
Streptococcus and lactobacillus bacteria are used. Propionic bacteria is added to form the eyes in Swiss cheese.

Does your cheese contain animal enzymes?
Our natural cheese does not contain animal enzymes. Our natural cheese includes shredded and chunk cheese such as cheddar, Colby, marble jack, etc. Some processed cheese may contain animal enzymes.

Can cheese be frozen?
Yes, most cheese can be frozen. The only change that should occur is that the cheese will become more crumbly, therefore making it difficult to slice. That's why shredded cheese is especially good for freezing. Some exceptions exist. Cream cheese and Ricotta cheese should not be frozen because it adversely affects the texture.

Why is some cheese moldy before being opened?
Mold growth is caused by air entering the package. This could happen due to a bad seal on the package or a hole in the packaging. Shreds mold more quickly due to the increased amount of exposed surface area. Mold on cheese is not likely make you sick, but it's not very appealing. Please refer to 'Can I get sick from eating mold?'

How should I store my cheese?
Cheese should be wrapped in film or greaseproof paper and kept in the refrigerator. Blue cheese should be kept separately from any other cheese. If stored correctly, most hard cheese should keep up to two weeks but always check for a Use By Date on the individual cheese.

What is the difference between Colby and Longhorn?
The only difference is the shape. Colby can be shaped in a block form or cylinder form. Colby Longhorn is formed in a cylinder and then cut in a full moon or half moon.

What is the difference between White and Colored Cheddar Cheese?
Orange/yellow cheese contains Annatto. It is obtained from the seedpods of a South American tree.

Does your cheese contain gluten?
Our natural cheese does not contain gluten. Our natural cheese includes shredded and chunk cheese such as cheddar, colby, marble jack, etc. Our cream cheese, Ricotta and Parmesan cheese are also gluten free. Processed cheese may contain gluten.

My cheese has white flakes on it, what is it?
It is a fairly common occurrence as the cheese ages, referred to as crystallization (crystallized lactose). Cheese with crystallized lactose is fine to eat.

What do you use for food coloring in your cheddar cheese?
Annatto. It is obtained from the seedpods of a South American tree.

Is Crystal Farms cheese lactose tolerant?
Yes, our cheese contains very low levels of lactose, which is true of most cheese. The bacterium that is used in the milk to make cheese feeds off the lactose using most of it up as cheese is being made. There is less than 0.5 grams lactose per serving.

What is "It's So Cheesy" sauce and aerosol cheese?
"It's So Cheesy" is a processed cheese sauce packaged in a jar. It can be spread cold right out of the jar or put in the microwave to make cheese sauce and dips. Please check directions on the package for heating. Aerosol cheese is a processed cheese sauce packaged in an aerosol can. It can be put on crackers, celery, etc., and it also can be spread. It's So Cheesy aerosol should not be refrigerated.

Can I get sick from eating mold?
The ingestion of molds can, but are unlikely to cause illness. For maximum safety do not eat products with mold.

Should cheese be served warm or cold?
It is recommended that most cheese should be served at room temperature. In practice this means taking it out of the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Consumed at room temperature you will experience the full flavor of the cheese. However, many prefer to eat cheese straight from the refrigerator for a cleaner, crisper taste.

Can I freeze cream cheese?
Cream cheese should not be frozen as the texture of the cream cheese is adversely affected.

What will cause cream cheese to ball up while mixing?
Low moisture, high salt and low pH can contribute to the balling effect.

Can I freeze Ricotta cheese?
No, it changes the consistency.

My Ricotta cheese has a gel-like substance in it, is this ok to eat?
Yes, when the product settles the ingredients can separate. Mix it up and use as normal.

For a more in-depth look at cheese, we invite you to visit the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board consumer website at www.wisdairy.com.

What is the shelf life of shell eggs?
30 days.

My pasteurized egg whites are cloudy. Is this safe?
The whites of the pasteurized eggs become slightly white, or opaque, due to the gentle heating process that the eggs are put through to eliminate bacteria throughout the egg. Note: Pasteurized Eggs require at least 8X additional whipping time for soufflés and meringue.

Can eggs be frozen?
Yes, but not in the shell, they need to be separated.

Whites: break and separate the eggs, one at a time, making sure that no yolk gets in the whites. Pour them into freezer containers, seal tightly, label with the number of egg whites and the date, and freeze. Hint: for faster thawing and easier measuring, first freeze each white in an ice cube tray and then transfer to a freezer container.

Yolks: egg yolks require special treatment. The gelation property of yolk causes it to thicken or gel when frozen. If frozen as is, egg yolk wills eventually become so gelatinous it will be almost impossible to use in a recipe. To help retard this gelation, beat in either 1/8-teaspoon salt or 1 ½ teaspoon sugar or corn syrup per ¼ cup egg yolks (4 yolks). Label the container with the number of yolks, the date, and whether you've added salt (for main dishes) or sweetener (for baking or desserts).

How long do you boil an egg to hard cook them?
Place eggs in pot of water. Bring to boil. Boil 9 minutes. Immediately run under cold water.

How long can you keep an egg in the refrigerator after hard-boiling?
7 days.

What are blood spots in eggs?
Also called meat spots, they are occasionally found on an egg yolk. Contrary to popular opinion, these tiny spots do not indicate a fertilized egg. Rather, they are caused by the rupture of a blood vessel on the yolk surface during formation of the egg or by a similar accident in the wall of the oviduct. Less than 1% of all eggs produced have blood spots. As an egg ages, the yolk takes up water from the albumen to dilute the blood so a blood spot actually indicates that the egg is fresh.

How long before butter goes bad?
Unopened salted butter should keep two to four weeks when refrigerated at 40ºF or lower (without freezing). The salt in butter not only brings out the flavor, but also acts as a preservative. Unsalted butter has a shorter shelf life and is best kept frozen until ready to use. Always wrap butter securely while storing to retain full flavor and to minimize picking up other food odors. Butter may be kept frozen at 0º f (or lower) for six months without harming its quality. To freeze, wrap butter well in original wrapper covered with plastic or foil.

Can butter be frozen?
Yes, butter can be frozen. However, butter does have a tendency to pick up flavors from other foods so it should be wrapped well before being frozen.

Why is the price of butter often so high?
Butter is a commodity product, and the price is driven from butter markets quoted weekly by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Some possible reasons for the higher prices may have to do with supply and demand. When you're shopping, compare the price of Crystal Farms butter with some of the 'national brands". We think you'll find it's less expensive while just as delicious.

Which is healthier, butter or margarine?
Butter is lower in Trans fats, but higher in saturated fats.

Butter per serving:
Total Fat 11 Grams
Saturated Fat 7 Grams
Trans Fat 0 Grams

100% Soy Oil Margarine
Total Fat 11 Grams
Saturated Fat 2 Grams
Trans Fat 3 Grams

Why is it important to limit Trans Fats?
There is a direct, proven relationship between diets high in Trans fats and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and therefore an increased risk of coronary heart disease.

What is the difference between Grade AA and Grade A Butter?

Grade AA - all Crystal Farms butter is Grade AA

• made from fresh sweet cream
• highly pleasing aroma
• delicate, sweet flavor
• smooth creamy texture with good spreadability
• if salted, the salt is completely dissolved and blended

Grade A

• made from fresh cream
• pleasing flavor
• fairly smooth in texture

What percentage of your margarine is vegetable oil?
80%, any less would have to be labeled a spread.

What are the Trans Fats content in margarine?

Trans Fats in margarines are higher than butter.

Crystal Farms Soy Oil quarters contain 2.5 grams per serving.

Crystal Farms corn oil margarine quarters contain 2.5 grams per serving.

Crystal Farms Buttersweet?spread contains 1 gram per serving.

Crystal Farms Dairy Free spread quarters contain 2.5 grams per serving.

What causes bagels and English muffins to mold?
Moldy bagels or English muffins can be caused by several different factors. Any mishandling during the distribution or production process can cause mold if the product was not kept at the correct temperature.

How much bread should I eat a day?
The Food Guide Pyramid suggests 6 to 11 servings a day from the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group. Single serving examples:

• 1/2 hot dog or hamburger bun
• 1 slice bread or 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
• 3/4 cup dry cereal
• 1/2 bagel or English muffin

Kosher Inquires
We recommend contacting your Rabbi for assurance on proper usage and coding.

Can I use a product past the expiration date?
No, we do not recommend using any of our products past the expiration date.

What does the Use By date on Crystal Farms packaging mean?
The Use By date is the last day that the product should be consumed.

Does Crystal Farms have any job postings online?
For job information, please visit the Michael Foods job link, or select Human Resource address from the Contact Us page on the menu.