Edward William Coon

Edward William Coon
Born
Edward Willie Coons

(1871-07-31)31 July 1871
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died12 January 1934(1934-01-12) (aged 62)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
OccupationCheesemaker
EmployerKraft-Phenix Cheese Company
Known forPatented process for ripening cheese
Spouses
  • Frances Gregory Reinhold (1904–1923)
  • Mary Lewis Parker (married 1924)

Edward William Coon (31 July 1871 – 12 January 1934) was an American produce merchant and cheesemaker, who patented a cheese-ripening process that eschewed pasteurization, instead retaining the live bacteria to produce a cheese that was said to be more easily digested and have a more attractive flavor. His cheese-making process and name were drawn into the media spotlight in the wake of a controversy surrounding the name of the Australian Coon cheese.