Cheese ripening the cheese by fungi to occur. Mould-ripened cheeses ripen faster than hard cheeses, in weeks as opposed to the typical months or even years. This is because the fungi used are more biochemically active than the starter bacteria. Where the ripening occurs is largely dependent on the type of cheese: some cheeses are surface-ripened by moulds, such as Camembert and Brie; and some are ripened internally, such as Stilton. Surface ripening of some cheeses, such as Saint-Nectaire cheese, may also be influenced by yeasts which contribute flavour and coat texture. Others are allowed by the cheesemaker to develop bacterial surface
Types of cheese in softer or firmer variants. The factor that controls cheese hardness is moisture content, which depends on the pressure with which it is packed into moulds, and upon aging time. Cream cheeses are not matured. Brie and Neufchâtel are soft-type cheeses that mature for more than a month. Neufchâtel is a soft cheese which can be sold after 10 days of maturation. Semi-soft cheeses, and the sub-group "Monastery", cheeses have a high moisture content and tend to be mild-tasting. Well-known varieties include Havarti, Munster and Port Salut. Cheeses that range in texture from semi-soft to firm include Swiss-style cheeses such