CURD Act

HR 1803, the CURD Act, defines "natural cheese" in federal law to clarify labeling standards for consumers. It specifies that natural cheese must be made by curdling milk (or milk derivatives) through traditional methods without certain processed additives, while explicitly excluding pasteurized process cheeses, cheese spreads, and similar products. The bill requires that products labeled as "natural cheese" meet this new definition, updating FDA labeling rules under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. This directly affects cheese manufacturers (who must comply with the definition) and consumers (who gain clearer product distinctions on labels). The change replaces vague industry terms with a consistent, science-based standard to improve transparency.