Natural cheese is a fermented product that develops flavor over time. By storing it properly, you can enjoy its delicious taste until the last moment. To better maintain the freshness of cheese, here are some key points you should know.
When you bring home cheeses like feta, burrata, fresh mozzarella, do not rush to discard the brine. Keeping the cheese in the original container with the brine helps maintain its texture and extend its shelf life.
For large pieces of cheese, it is best to cut only what you need each time. Grating or slicing the cheese for storage increases the risk of exposure to air, which can lead to quality issues such as contamination, dehydration, and oxidation.
Cheese may change in texture during storage, but this does not mean it has gone bad. Soft cheeses like camembert, brie, and Limburger, will continue to soften after being brought home, while hard cheeses like parmesan will do the opposite.
Cheese can be stored in the refrigerator at a suitable temperature of around 35 degrees Fahrenheit/4 degrees Celsius. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends refrigerating cream cheese, cottage cheese, goat cheese, and shredded cheeses for best storage. Processed cheese and hard cheeses like cheddar can also benefit from refrigeration to prolong their shelf life.
When refrigerating cheese, it needs appropriate humidity to prevent drying out. Therefore, besides placing cheese in a designated drawer, storing it in a produce drawer with adjustable humidity is also a good option, but be sure to keep it away from strong-smelling foods.
Cheese requires breathable space but also needs protection from drying out and odors, so choosing the right packaging is crucial. Beeswax wrap and cheese paper are the best options for loosely wrapping cheese. If you can’t find such packaging, parchment paper with a silicone coating can be used as an alternative.
Some cheeses come in plastic packaging, and it is advisable to rewrap them using the materials mentioned above once you bring them home. Secure the wrapping with a band to prevent the paper from coming loose.
Check for mold on the cheese every few days. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides guidelines on whether moldy cheese is safe to eat. Cheeses like Roquefort, blue cheese, Gorgonzola, Stilton, camembert, and brie, which have mold intentionally added during production, can be consumed safely. However, if other types of soft cheeses show mold, they should be discarded.
If hard cheeses like cheddar develop mold, trim off at least 1 inch around and below the moldy part, then rewrap the remaining portion and refrigerate it for safe consumption. If you find it difficult to distinguish whether mold is present, it is best to discard the entire piece of cheese.
The shelf life of cheese depends on the type of cheese and storage method, typically following the date indicated on the packaging. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, refrigerated unopened blocks of hard cheese can last up to six months, while opened hard cheeses can last 3 to 4 weeks, shredded cheese for 1 month, and soft cheeses for 1 to 2 weeks.