FAQ

You have questions, we have answers! Here you will find information on where to find our products, how to select a Galaxy Nutritional Foods cheese alternative to meet the needs of your diet and more. If you do not find the answer to your question here, feel free to contact us at 800-441-9419, ext. 224.

Where can I find Galaxy products?
I saw some Veggie brand products on your site that my local store does not carry. What should I do?
My local natural foods store does not carry your full line of Veggy, Rice, Vegan and Rice Vegan products. What should I do?
Can I buy your products directly from you? Can I buy them online?
Are your products cholesterol free?
Are your products trans fat free?
Do you have dairy and casein free products?
Do you have soy and dairy free products?
Are your products gluten free?
Do you have preservative free products?
Do you have organic products?
Do Galaxy cheese alternatives melt?
Can I cook with Galaxy cheese alternatives?
Can I bake with Galaxy cheese alternatives?
Do you have recipes using cheese alternatives?
Do cheese alternatives need to be refrigerated?
Can cheese alternatives be frozen?
Where can I locate the expiration date on the package?
Can I use Galaxy products after the expiration date?
What is casein?
Do you add MSG to your products?
Can you tell me more about the natural flavors in your products?
What is lactic acid?
Why do the slices appear to have a textured edge?
How much soy protein is in your soy-based products?
Is the yeast ingredient in your products active?
Do you age your products?
Do you use any ingredients with animal rennet?
What is the difference between lactose free and dairy free?
Do your products contain corn ingredients?
Are the dairy ingredients used in your Wholesome Valley Organic cheese products pasteurized?
Do you have a cross contamination allergen program for the Vegan and Rice Vegan products?
Do any of your products contain peanuts, tree nuts, eggs or wheat?
Are Galaxy’s products certified Kosher?
Are your products GMO free?
What is the source of the mono and diglycerides in your Rice Vegan products?
I found a dark line on the preservative free individually wrapped slice product. What is this?
I found white spots on the cheese alternative block product. What is this?
Why is there no Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) on your products?
What countries do you import the ingredient casein from?
What assurance do I have that your products do not contain Melamine?
What is vegan culture, and what allergens does it contain?
Why do Galaxy Cream Cheese alternatives taste like real cream cheese?
Is there maltodextrin in the Galaxy Cream Cheese alternatives?
Is there any sugar in Veggie or Vegan Cream Cheese alternatives?
Is there hydrogenated fat in Veggie or Vegan Cream Cheese alternatives?
Where is Veggie or Vegan Cream Cheese sold?
What is Kosher Pareve?
What is mid-oleic sunflower oil?
What is tricalcium phosphate?
What is xanthan gum?
What is locust bean gum?
What is guar gum?
Are the Galaxy Cream Cheese containers recycleable?
Does the plant that manufactures Galaxy’s Cream Cheese alternative produce any dairy products?
Does Galaxy’s non-dairy Cream Cheese contain corn?
Does Galaxy’s non-dairy Cream Cheese contain sesame or sesame oil in it’s natural flavors?

Where can I find Galaxy products?
Veggie products are found in the produce section of the supermarket. Rice, Rice Vegan, Veggy and Vegan products are found in the cheese alternative or dairy section of natural foods stores as well as in the natural section of traditional grocery stores. Wholesome Valley Organic products are found in the dairy section of grocery and natural foods stores. To find stores in your areas that carry our products, click here.

I saw some Veggie brand products on your site that my local store does not carry. What should I do?
Most grocery stores carry a large variety of Galaxy’s products in the produce section, but may not carry all of them because of limited space. If you would like to see a particular Veggie product carried by your local store, we suggest you contact the produce manager in that store and ask them to consider selling the product you are interested in. In some cases, stores will special order items they do not typically carry for customers.

My local natural foods store does not carry your full line of Veggy, Rice, Vegan and Rice Vegan products. What should I do?
Most natural foods stores carry a large variety of Galaxy’s products in the cheese alternative or dairy section, but may not carry all of them because of limited space. If you would like to see a particular Galaxy product carried by your local store, we suggest you contact the dairy manager in that store and ask them to consider selling the product you are interested in. In some cases, stores will special order items they do not typically carry for customers.

Can I buy your products directly from you? Can I buy them online?
No, Galaxy products are available to the public at grocery stores and natural foods stores throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Are your products cholesterol free?
Yes, all of our cheese alternative products are cholesterol free including: Veggie, Rice, Veggy, Vegan and Rice Vegan.

Are your products trans fat free?
Yes, all of our products are trans fat free including: Veggie, Rice, Veggy, Vegan, Rice Vegan and Wholesome Valley Organic. Galaxy uses non-hydrogenated oils such as canola, soybean or rice bran oil.

Do you have dairy and casein free products?
Yes, our Vegan and Rice Vegan products are 100% dairy and casein free as well as our new Veggie Cream Cheese Alternative. They are perfect for vegan diets or those with dairy allergies.

Do you have soy and dairy free products?
Yes, our Rice Vegan slices are dairy, casein and soy free.

Are your products gluten free?
Yes, all Galaxy products are gluten free. Our products do not contain wheat, oats or barley.

Do you have preservative free products?
Yes, our Rice, Veggy, Vegan, Rice Vegan and Wholesome Valley products are preservative free. Our Veggie Cream Cheese Alternative is also preservative free.

Do you have organic products?
Yes, Galaxy’s dairy based Wholesome Valley Organic products are USDA certified by Onecert Organic. They contain 95+% organic ingredients (excluding water or salt).

Do Galaxy cheese alternatives melt?
Yes, all Galaxy slice, shred and chunk products melt. Veggie, Rice, Veggy and Rice Vegan products have a great melt. The casein free Vegan products have a good melt. If you are having difficulty achieving desired melt, cover the cooking dish with a lid and extend cooking time.

Can I cook with Galaxy cheese alternatives?
Yes, simply substitute the traditional cheese ingredient in your recipe with a Galaxy slice, shred or chunk product. The cooking time may vary when substituting cheese alternative in recipes calling for high fat dairy products. If you are having difficulty achieving desired melt, cover the cooking dish with a lid and extend cooking time.

Can I bake with Galaxy cheese alternatives?
Yes, but keep in mind that you will need to adjust the fat and/or moisture content of the recipe.

Do you have recipes using cheese alternatives?
Yes. Please visit the recipe section of our website.

Do cheese alternatives need to be refrigerated?
Yes, all products with the exception of the grated Parmesan flavor toppings should be refrigerated at all times. The grated Parmesan toppings are shelf stable and do not require refrigeration until opened.

Can cheese alternatives be frozen?
No, we do not recommend freezing any Galaxy products as it will compromise the texture and melt.

Where can I locate the expiration date on the package?
The expiration date is either printed at the top or bottom edge of the outer package. For example, USE BY MAY 22 07 CA 01:56 5

Can I use Galaxy products after the expiration date?
No, all Galaxy products should be consumed by the expiration date printed on the package for optimal taste and texture.

What is casein?
Casein is a lactose free, pure source of protein derived from skim milk. Once the casein is separated from the milk, it is free of the fat and cholesterol associated with most dairy products. Although casein does include very trace amounts of lactose, the amounts are so trivial that FDA regulations allow for “Lactose Free” claims on the packaging.

Do you add MSG to your products?
No, Galaxy does not add monosodium glutamate (MSG) flavor enhancer to any products.

Can you tell me more about the natural flavors in your products?
The natural flavors are a blend of ingredients that are free of animal products, free of added MSG and free of gluten.

What is lactic acid?
Lactic acid is an acidulant used to control product tartness. The lactic acid Galaxy uses is derived from various lactose free vegetable sources. The lactic acid we use is not derived from lactose, a milk sugar.

Why do the slices appear to have a textured edge?
The textured edge you may notice on the slice products is a result of the sealing process. The textured edge is not plastic, but rather actual product.

How much soy protein is in your soy-based products?
Our soy-based Vegan products contain 1 to 2 grams of soy protein per serving depending on the format. Our soy-based Veggie and Veggy products contain 2 to 7 grams of protein depending on the format, with less than 1% from soy. For more information on the nutrition facts please visit the individual product pages.

Is the yeast ingredient in your products active?
No, all of our yeast ingredients are inactive and have no fermentation activity.

Do you age your products?
No, all of our cheese alternative products are cooked and packed hot; they do not go through an aging or fermentation process.

Do you use any ingredients with animal rennet?
No, we do not use any ingredients with animal rennet (the enzymes used to clot milk during the cheese-making process). The casein in our Veggie, Rice and Veggy products is made with microbial enzymes.

What is the difference between lactose free and dairy free?
Lactose free products are not the same as dairy or casein free products. Products that are called “Lactose Free” do not contain any milk sugar, but they may contain casein, lactose free milk protein. If you are lactose intolerant (sensitive to lactose, the sugar naturally present in milk) we recommend you try our Veggie, Veggy or Rice products. If you would like to avoid milk proteins or dairy completely, we recommend our Vegan and Rice Vegan products that are labeled “Vegan,” “100% Dairy Free,” or “Casein Free” as these products do not contain lactose or milk proteins.

Do your products contain corn ingredients?
Yes, some of our ingredients are derived from corn, including the modified food starch and maltodextrin.

Are the dairy ingredients used in your Wholesome Valley Organic cheese products pasteurized?
Yes, all dairy ingredients are made with pasteurized, rBST hormone free milk and do not contain animal enzymes or rennet.

Do you have a cross contamination allergen program for the Vegan and Rice Vegan products?
Yes, Galaxy closely follows a strict allergen and cross contamination program.

Do any of your products contain peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, or wheat?
No, Galaxy does not use any of these ingredients.

Are Galaxy’s products certified Kosher?
Our Veggie and Vegan brand cream cheese alternative products are certified kosher pareve from the Orthodox Union.

Are your products GMO free?
Our products are formulated from non-GMO ingredients. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) no longer recognizes the terms Genetically Modified Organism (GMO), GMO Free and Non-GMO on product labels.

What is the source of the mono and diglycerides in your Rice Vegan products?
The source of the mono and diglycerides is non-hydrogenated palm oil.

I found a dark line on the preservative free individually wrapped slice product. What is this?
Although it is uncommon, a dark line on the preservative free Rice, Veggy, Vegan, Rice Vegan and Wholesome Valley Organic slices, may be the start of mold. All of our preservative free products are formulated to be free of mold until after the expiration date, however occasionally mold will begin before the expiration due to improper storage and handling. Please call our consumer affairs department at 800-441-9419, ext. 224 if you experience this issue.

I found white spots on the cheese alternative block product. What is this?
Although it is uncommon, extremely cold temperatures may cause the sodium ingredients to rise to the surface of the block products resulting in white spots. These white spots are not mold and are not harmful if consumed.

Why is there no Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) on your products?
The Country of Origin labeling does not pertain to our products since we are not a perishable agricultural commodity. A perishable agricultural commodity is a fresh or frozen fruit and vegetable. In addition the COOL law excludes an ingredient in a processed food item.

What countries do you import the ingredient casein from?
The countries of origin for our casein are Ireland and New Zealand.

What assurance do I have that your products do not contain Melamine?
This does not pertain to our company since our products do not contain liquid or powdered milk. Melamine has only been detected in liquid or powdered milk from China. Furthermore, we do not import casein (dried skim milk protein) from China.

What is vegan culture, and what allergens does it contain?
Galaxy Cream Cheese is manufactured using a traditional culturing/fermentation process  that utilizes lactic acid bacteria. Traditional cream cheeses use lactic cultures that are prepared using dairy ingredients. Our culture is prepared without any dairy ingredients or carriers to ensure that it is suitable for vegans or those allergic to dairy.

Why do Galaxy Cream Cheese alternatives taste like real cream cheese?
We manufacture the Galaxy Cream Cheese alternatives using a process that is very
close to traditional cream cheese, but we have carefully selected a blend of nondairy
ingredients (and a manufacturing plant that uses no dairy products) to ensure that the flavor and texture of Galaxy’s cream cheese alternatives are as close as possible to the real thing.

Is there maltodextrin in the Galaxy Cream Cheese alternatives?
No, there is no maltodextrin in our cream cheese products. Maltodextrins are a family of
polysaccharides derived by breaking down food starches and commonly used as food additives.

Is there any sugar in Veggie or Vegan Cream Cheese alternatives?
No, Galaxy Cream Cheese alternatives do not have any added sugars.

Is there hydrogenated fat in Veggie or Vegan Cream Cheese alternatives?
No, there is no hydrogenated fat in Galaxy’s Cream Cheese alternatives.

Where is Veggie or Vegan Cream Cheese sold?
You can use our store finder to locate stores that sell our cream cheese alternatives.

What is Kosher Pareve?
Kosher Pareve simply means that the product is both Kosher and Dairy Free. The product is not manufactured on equipment that is otherwise used to manufacture dairy products.

What is mid-oleic sunflower oil?
Mid-oleic sunflower oil is derived from sunflower seeds that have been specially bred using traditional plant breeding techniques (non-GMO) to produce oil that has a higher  percentage of the healthy mono-unsaturated fat (oleic acid) that is typically found in olive oil.

What is tricalcium phosphate?
Tricalcium phosphate is an inert, natural mineral that we use to boost the calcium in our vegan product to an identical level to that found in traditional cream cheese.

What is xanthan gum?
Xanthan gum is a food additive (a naturally derived polysaccharide) that we use to add and maintain texture in our cream cheese alternative.

What is locust bean gum?
Locust Bean gum is a food additive (a naturally derived polysaccharide found in the seeds of the Carob tree) that we use to add and maintain texture in our cream cheese alternative.

What is guar gum?
Guar gum is a food additive (a naturally derived polysaccharide derived from plants) that we use to add and maintain texture in our cream cheese alternative.

Are the Galaxy Cream Cheese containers recycleable?
Yes, Galaxy’s cream cheese container lid and tub are both recyclable. The lid is #2 HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and the tub is #5 PP (polypropylene).

Does the plant that manufactures Galaxy’s Cream Cheese alternative produce any dairy products?
No, the plant that produces our non-dairy cream cheese is a dairy free facility.

Does Galaxy’s non-dairy Cream Cheese contain corn?
Yes, it contains cornstarch which is a corn derivative.

Does Galaxy’s non-dairy Cream Cheese contain sesame or sesame oil in it’s natural flavors?
No, Galaxy’s non-dairy cream cheese is free of sesame or sesame oil.