Woman shares 'best kitchen hack ever' – but horrifies foodies after 'washing cheese'

Many people can't bear the thought of soggy food, whether it's the aversion to eating it or the accidental touch that sends shivers down their spine.

Yet, a woman sparked shockwaves online after she intentionally wet her grub in a clip that's gone viral. If you're someone who recoils at the thought of dampened food, you might want to give this one a miss.

The female, known as @jeanelleandkate on TikTok, touts rinsing pre-packed grated cheese as the "best kitchen hack ever".

Her video, which racked up over 11,000 likes, shows her taking the cheese from its packet and dumping it into a sieve perched atop a glass jug.

Next, she douses the cheese with water, claiming to wash away anti-caking agents, which are meant to "stop the pieces from sticking together."

"Have you heard of washing your cheese? This is the best kitchen hack ever. Saves you time from having to shred your own cheese, pre-caking all the stuff on it that people don't like about pre-shredded cheese," she says in the footage.

She further asserts the cheese comes coated with an anti-caking substance to keep it loose and user-friendly. However, by "just pouring the water over the cheese" and giving it a good hand-run, you can apparently rinse it right off.

The TikTok community was left aghast by the video, with numerous viewers quick to point out that she was essentially drenching her food. One commenter remarked: "And now I have wet cheese? No thanks."

Another wrote: "Great, soggy cheese." A third individual noted: "Just shred your own cheese. It's cheaper and better."

Is it necessary to wash my cheese?

Anti-caking agents are added to pre-grated cheese to keep the shreds from clumping together. They are safe for consumption, so there's no need to wash your cheese.

Cheese can become clumpy in the packaging due to moisture or its naturally sticky texture. To combat this, a bit of anti-caking agent is used by producers to ensure that the cheese stays free-flowing and the pieces remain separate for ease of use.

Typical anti-caking agents found in pre-grated cheese include cellulose powder, potato starch, or cornstarch powder. These substances soak up any extra moisture and coat each cheese shred, preventing them from sticking together.

This convenience allows consumers to effortlessly sprinkle cheese on their meals without the hassle of separating chunks. Anti-caking agents also preserve the look of the cheese and make it simpler to handle and portion for cooking.