51% is the threshold for calling it "process cheese food." The stuff that is called "process cheese" is only allowed additives off of a particular list: water, salt, milkfat up to 5% of the weight of the total, acidifying agents, spices, artificial coloring, mold inhibitors up to 0.2% or 0.3% of the total weight.

There's basically not an easy way to make something match the legal definition of American cheese without making it out of at least 90% cheese, because the amount of water and fat you can add to fit within the requirement that the end result be 47% fat, except that only 5% of the total can be from added fat, makes it hard to cut corners.

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Most American cheese is made by blending cheddar and colby cheeses with other ingredients, like extra whey, milk proteins, vitamins, coloring, and emulsifying agents

the other 50% is mostly water. anerican cheese is basically just a hardened cheese sauce. it's cheese emulsified with water or something similar to make it melt easier. it's not some unholy amalgamation of horror. it's just melty cheese.

and I'm not just looking that up on wikipedia. I've made it myself. it's not that hard. i promise you i didn't hide any cancer chemicals in there.

I'm saying it's a bs statement. It isn't about coffee. Tell me 19 cheeses that age and go from white to yellow. You can start by saying cheddar doesn't. There are near 0 and if you think that's not true, you are being lied too. Make a cheese, it won't randomly turn unless you add something that makes it. It's like saying copper turns to brass on its own. It doesn't.

Sorry for being upset about it, but it's just bologna

Edit: also if it changes color without you adding something that you knew would change the color, throw it out, be safe; there is an unknown bacteria added if you didn't do it yourself