Cream cheese is a soft, mild-tasting fresh cheese with a high fat content.[1][2] Stabilizers such as carob bean gum and carrageenan are typically added in industrial production.[3]
The US Food and Drug Administration defines cream cheese as containing at least 33% milk fat with a moisture content of not more than 55%, and a pH range of 4.4 to 4.9.[4] In other countries, it is defined differently and may need a considerably higher fat content.[5]
Cream cheese is not naturally matured and is meant to be consumed fresh, and so it differs from other soft cheeses such as Brie and Neufchâtel. It is more comparable in taste, texture, and production methods to Boursin and Mascarpone.