Ripened cheese is not ready for consumption soon after manufacture, but is held under such time and temperature conditions so as to allow the necessary biochemical and physical changes that characterize the specific cheese. For mould-ripened cheese, the ripening is accomplished primarily by the development of characteristic mould growth throughout the interior and/or on the surface of the cheese. Ripened cheese may be soft (e.g., camembert), firm (e.g., edam, gouda), hard (e.g., cheddar), or extra-hard. Includes cheese in brine, which is a ripened semi-hard to soft cheese, white to yellowish in colour with a compact texture, and without actual rind that has been preserved in brine until presented to the consumer. Cheese treated by these mechanical processes are included.