# Why does string cheese string?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-string-cheese-string/255338>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 15, 2004, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-string-cheese-string/255338 "2004-07-15T23:23:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![FlippyFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FlippyFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlippyFly)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2004, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-string-cheese-string/255338/1 "2004-07-15T23:23:47Z")

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Why does string cheese split one way and not the other? I can understand why this happens with beef, but string cheese?

And on that subject, why doesn’t chicken have a prefered direction?

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**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-string-cheese-string/255338/2 "2004-07-16T00:29:30Z")

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I don’t know how the miracle of string cheese works, but chicken _parts_ do have directional tissue strands. Try pulling apart a cooked breast for example. It’ll tear easily along particular lines that follow the tissue.

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**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-string-cheese-string/255338/3 "2004-07-16T00:42:35Z")

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String cheese is mozzarella. I’m pretty sure mozzarella is stretched in the process of making it, which would give it a “grain” if you will.

But, I’m no cheesemaker.

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**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-string-cheese-string/255338/4 "2004-07-16T01:06:39Z")

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Grandson of a cheesemaker here. The cheese in string cheese is a process cheese. It is extruded through a fine-holed mesh, coming out as numerous fine strings, and immediately but gently “rejoined” into one thick piece.

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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-string-cheese-string/255338/5 "2004-07-16T01:26:03Z")

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> [@Walloon](#):
>
> Grandson of a cheesemaker here. The cheese in string cheese is a process cheese. It is extruded through a fine-holed mesh, coming out as numerous fine strings, and immediately but gently “rejoined” into one thick piece.

I’m sure there’s more than one way to skin a cat, but **psycat90** ’s answer is correct, too. (And I have made string cheese/mozerella cheese.) Basically, after spinning the curds, you pull it and fold it like taffy, which gives it those characteristic strings. Most cheeses are simply cut and pressed, which does not allow the strings to develop.