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Cream cheese, an American original, became popular around 1880 when factories spread from the Northeast to the rest of the country. At that time, production underwent a revolutionary change with the invention of the separator, which made it possible to separate the whey immediately from the hot solids. This process allowed cheesemakers to pack the curd hot, and the shelf life for the finished cheese doubled. Of French origin and similar to cream cheese, this soft, creamy, mild flavored cheese has a lower fat content.