Natural refers to the cheesemaking process in which cheese is made directly from milk by coagulating or curdling milk, stirring and heating the curd, draining the whey and collecting or pressing the curd. Natural cheeses can be classified into various groups, such as:
- Soft/fresh, unripened
- Soft, ripened
- Semi-soft, ripened
- Firm/hard, ripened
- Very hard/grating, ripened
- Pasta filata Reduced-fat
- Cooking/no-melt
(All of these cheeses are available in various industrial sizes.)
The soft/fresh cheeses are typically packed in crocks or tubs, while the other cheeses come in wheels, blocks and loafs. Softer cheeses can also come crumbled, while harder cheeses can arrive pre-grated. Semi-soft, firm and pasta filata varieties are often available in shredded form.