Abstract: A cheese slurry suitable for topical application on a snack product prior to baking includes natural cheese powder solids, an emulsifier, oil, water, and pregelatinized starch in amounts effective to provide a crispy topping having an appearance of melted cheese uniformly adhered to the outer surface of the baked dough product, and up to 1 percent reducing sugars, polyols, or a combination thereof and substantially no enzyme-modified cheese, buttermilk, whey, maltodextrins, or yeast extract so that the cheese slurry composition is resistant to undesirable browning and burning upon baking.

Abstract: A cheese slurry suitable for topical application on a snack product prior to baking includes natural cheese powder solids, an emulsifier, oil, water, and pregelatinized starch in amounts effective to provide a crispy topping having an appearance of melted cheese uniformly adhered to the outer surface of the baked dough product, and up to 1 percent reducing sugars, polyols, or a combination thereof and substantially no enzyme-modified cheese, buttermilk, whey, maltodextrins, or yeast extract so that the cheese slurry composition is resistant to undesirable browning and burning upon baking.

Abstract: Food grade metabolites produced by Propionibacterium sp., alone or in combination with at least one adjunct organic acid preservative ingredient such as sorbic or benzoic acid or their food grade salts, inhibit mold and extend the shelf life of packaged food products such as baked goods having a water activity (a.sub.w) of about 0.60 to about 0.80, on storage at room temperature for six months or more. Mold control is obtained in a variety of food products, including those particularly susceptible to mold such as moist fruit filled bar cookies, other intermediate moisture cookies, cakes having dollops of fruit-based filler, pet food snacks, and the like, while simultaneously providing superior organoleptic and sensory attributes in the products.