Cheese is a living product that continues to ripen even after purchase. Improper storage leads to drying out, cracking and mold.
To ensure that your favorite cheese, hard or soft, like ricotta, mozzarella, brie or camembert, remains tender, aromatic and plastic, it is enough to follow a few simple but scientifically proven rules.
Proper packaging of cheese
- Forget about factory film and plastic bags. Wrap the cheese in parchment paper. It will allow it to “breathe”, but will not allow it to dry out quickly.
- Cling film is only suitable for short-term storage). If using film, do not wrap the cheese tightly.
- A cheesecake pan or glass container with a lid will do. Place a piece of refined sugar on the bottom or a pinch of salt in the corner. They will absorb excess moisture. The cheese should not touch the walls.
Space in the refrigerator
Storage temperature – from +2 to +6 °C. The ideal place is the vegetable compartment, where optimal humidity is maintained. Do not store cheese on the door; temperature changes when opening kill its structure.
Don't mix different cheeses
Each cheese has a unique microflora and aroma. Store them separately from each other, otherwise all the cheeses in the refrigerator will develop the same mixed smell.
Competent presentation
You should not eat cheese straight from the refrigerator, as the cold dampens the flavor and makes the texture denser. Remove the cheese from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before eating. It will reveal the whole bouquet of taste and become soft and pliable again.
Following these rules will extend the life of your cheese by weeks, maintaining its ideal texture, taste and aroma, as if it were fresh from the cheese factory.
Question and answer:
Is it true that cheese can be stored in the freezer?
Yes, but freezing changes the texture and the cheese will crumble better than melt or cut. This is a good option only for later use in cooking.
Is it possible to eat cheese if there is white mold on it?
On hard and semi-hard cheeses (cheddar, parmesan, gouda) white coating is not a problem. Penicillium can be cut off with a margin of 1-2 cm, after which the cheese is safe.
Any mold on soft curd cheeses is dangerous due to high humidity; they must be thrown away entirely.
How can you tell if cheese has gone bad?
Obvious signs of spoilage: a strong ammonia smell, mucus on the surface, patchy green, orange or black mold, or a sour or bitter taste.
