<P> The U.S. 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 . Similarly, under Canadian Food and Drug Regulations cream cheese must contain at least 30% milk fat and a maximum of 55% moisture . In other countries, it is defined differently and may need a considerably higher fat content . </P> <P> Cream cheese is not naturally matured and is meant to be consumed fresh, 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 . </P> <P> Early prototypes of cream cheese are mentioned in England as early as 1583 and in France as early as 1651 . Recipes are recorded soon after 1754, particularly from Lincolnshire and the southwest of England . </P> <P> Recipes for cream cheese can be found in U.S. cookbooks and newspapers beginning in the mid-18th century . By the 1820s the dairy farms in and around Philadelphia and New York City had gained a reputation for producing the best examples of this cheese . Cream cheese was produced on family farms throughout the country, so quantities made and distributed were typically small . </P>

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