The original string cheese was produced in Syria or Armenia, and tended to be pleasantly saltier, stringier, and firmer than the semisoft string cheese available in most markets today.

The most widely available string cheese is a semisoft mozzarella that has been pulled into strands and then braided or molded into rods about the size of a fat pencil.

For those on a low-sodium diet, soaking string cheese in water will remove some of the salt content. Like many semisoft cheeses, it can be kept refrigerated for up to two week.