Parmesan cheese

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Common questions

Is Parmesan cheese healthy?

Parmesan cheese scores 68/100 on Scout's independent analysis of ingredients, additives, and lab results — a fair-to-good score — solid, with tradeoffs. This Parmesan cheese is a processed food with a clean ingredient list, primarily consisting of high-quality cheese made from pasteurized milk, which provides a good source of protein and calcium.

How processed is Parmesan cheese?

Parmesan cheese is NOVA Group 3: Processed Foods.

Which ingredients drive Parmesan cheese's score?

In Scout's ingredient-by-ingredient analysis, Parmesan Cheese (Pasteurized Part-Skim Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes) counts in its favor; Cellulose Powder, Potassium Sorbate are flagged as ingredients of concern. The full breakdown, with why each one matters, is in the Key ingredients section on this page.

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Parmesan cheese

68 Fair

Analysis updated July 2026 · How Scout scores

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At a glance

Beneficial ingredients 1
Harmful ingredients 2
Category Cheese
Summary

This Parmesan cheese is a processed food with a clean ingredient list, primarily consisting of high-quality cheese made from pasteurized milk, which provides a good source of protein and calcium. However, the inclusion of potassium sorbate as a preservative and cellulose powder to prevent caking slightly detracts from its overall healthiness. Despite these additives, the product maintains a relatively high score due to its nutritional benefits and minimal processing compared to other processed foods.

Key ingredients 3

Parmesan Cheese (Pasteurized Part-Skim Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes)
Good

This ingredient provides high-quality protein and calcium, essential for muscle and bone health, with minimal processing to retain natural nutrients.

Cellulose Powder
Bad

Cellulose powder is an additive used to prevent caking, but it is a processed substance that offers no nutritional value and may cause digestive discomfort in some individuals.

See more about Cellulose Powder →
Potassium Sorbate
Bad

Potassium sorbate is a preservative used to inhibit mold growth, but some consumers prefer to avoid artificial preservatives due to potential sensitivities.

See more about Potassium Sorbate →

Processing

Group 3 · Processed

Processed Foods

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