The present invention relates to a process for producing natural cheese (N) through the following acidifying step, coagulating step and dehydrating step and using processed natural cheese (N) as at least 5 mass% of raw cheese to produce processed cheese . The acidification step is a step of acidifying the milk to obtain acidified milk having a pH of 5.8 to 6.4, wherein in the step of adding an acid component to the milk so as to obtain the pH of the acidified milk The coagulation step is a step in which the lactic acid bacteria starter is not added to the acidified milk and a curd enzyme is added and coagulated to obtain a curd. In the dehydration step, whey is discharged from the card and natural cheese (N This step includes an enzyme deactivation step in which the curd enzyme is deactivated by heating the card to 55 C. or higher while warming the card at a rate of temperature increase per minute of 1 C. or less .本発明は、下記酸性化工程、凝固工程、および脱水工程を経てナチュラルチーズ(N)を製造し、得られたナチュラルチーズ(N)を原料用チーズの少なくとも5質量%として用いてプロセスチーズを製造する。酸性化工程は乳を酸性化してpHが5.8~6.4である酸性化乳を得る工程であって、前記乳に、前記酸性化乳のpHとなるように酸成分を加える工程であり、凝固工程は前記酸性化乳に、乳酸菌スターターを添加せず、凝乳酵素を添加し凝固させて、カードを得る工程であり、脱水工程は前記カードからホエイを排出してナチュラルチーズ(N)を得る工程であって、前記カードを1分間あたりの昇温速度が1℃以下で加温しながら55℃以上に加熱して凝乳酵素を失活させる酵素失活工程を含む工程である。
