A popular brand of Australian cheese owned by Dairy Farmers is facing scrutiny over its name: Coon, reports Food Industry Weekly.

A Queensland academic who helped bring attention to the fact a grandstand at the Toowoomba sports ground was going to be named E.S. ‘Nigger’ Brown (subsequently re-named ...), has focused his attention on Coon.

Stephen Hagan says he is not convinced the brand (originally a Kraft subsidiary) isn’t named for the racial slur.

“Initially, Dairy Farmers said it was named after Edward Coon, who revolutionised the speed of cheesemaking but I’ve questioned the authenticity of that story,” he told Food Industry Weekly.

Previously Kraft and Dairy Farmers have both denied claims the name has any connection to the slur, saying it refers to the ‘Cooning’ process first created by Edward Coon. This involves the fast maturation of cheese using high temperatures.

Given that it was legal to hunt Aborigines right up until the 1960s in some places – not that far from Toowoomba in fact – Mr Hagan may in fact have a point.