Classification of Cheese

Cheeses are normally classified according to firmness, which varies with the degree of
moisture. The moisture content of firm cheeses may be as low as 30%, while that of soft or
fresh cheeses may be as high as 80%. The most common designations include fresh (or
unripened) cheeses, soft ripened cheeses, firm or semi-firm cheeses, blue-veined, processed
and goats milk cheeses.

Table of Contents

Fresh cheeses
Fresh or unripened cheeses are coagulated under the action of lactic acid fermentation in the milk
instead of adding rennet. While they are drained after formation of the curd, they are neither
ripened nor fermented. This category includes cottage cheese, ricotta, mascarpone, cream cheese
and quark. Fresh cheeses are mainly used in baking and desserts, plain or flavoured with
vegetables, fruits, herbs or spices.
 Fresh cheeses

Soft
Cheeses
Soft cheeses are ripened for a relatively short period of time before being drained and turned into
molds without being pressed or cooked. They have a moisture content of 50% to 60% and their fat
content represents 20% to 26% of the cheese’s weight. They develop a soft rind that can be more
or less satiny and are usually eaten with bread, since they tend to lose a lot of flavor when
heated.

Soft cheeses are divided in two categories according to the characteristics of the rind: the surface-
ripened soft cheeses (covered with a thin layer of a white down or mold) like Brie, Camembert and
Coulommiers, and the interior-ripened soft cheeses (washed in light brine to maintain the moisture
level and softness of the cheese) like Munster, Pont-l’Évèque and Époisses.
 Soft cheeses

Firm and semi-firm cheeses

Semi-firm cheeses are uncooked pressed cheeses that are dense and usually pale yellow in color.
They include Cheddar, Cantal, Reblochon, Edam, Gouda and Monterey Jack. Firm cheeses are
cheeses that have been cooked and pressed. The curd is heated for an hour in order to make it
more concentrated, which, upon pressing, produces a more compact cheese. Their texture is
usually firm, although some hard cheeses, like Parmesan and Romano, may have a rather granular
texture. Gruyère, Emmenthal, Jarlsberg, Raclette and Beaufort also are a part of that category.
 Pressed cheeses

Blue-veined
cheeses
Blue-veined (or blue) cheeses are neither cooked nor pressed; the curd is inoculated with a
species of blue-green mold, which is injected into the cheese by means of long needles.
Fermentation occurs from the inside toward the outside. Those cheeses – including Roquefort,
Gorgonzola, Stilton, Bleu de Bresse and Danish Blue – have a strong and sharp, peppery flavor and
are often crumbled in texture.
 Blue-veined cheeses
Process
cheeses
Process cheeses are cheeses made from one or several cooked or uncooked pressed cheeses that
are remelted, and to which milk, cream or butter is added; they keep for a long time. Depending
on the product, stabilizers, emulsifiers, salt, colours, sweeteners and seasonings may be added. A
more or less soft and elastic texture and a mild flavor are obtained. In North America, these
cheeses are mostly made using Cheddar cheese, whereas in Europe, Emmental and Gruyère
predominate. Process cheeses have different names depending on the quantity of cheese they
contain (process cheese, process cheese food, cheese spread).

Goats-milk cheeses
Goat’s-milk (or goat) cheeses are soft cheeses with a natural rind; they may be made from 100%
goat’s milk or from a mixture of goat’s milk and cow’s milk. They are available unripened, soft
and surface-ripened, or in some cases hard. Whiter than cheeses made from cow’s milk, they also
tend to have a more pronounced flavor. These cheeses are often very salty, a factor which has the
effect of prolonging their storage life.

Cheeses in this family include Crottin de Chavignol, Valençay, Chevrotin and feta.

Goat’s-milk cheeses