Sometimes it is difficult to determine if the cheese in your house has reached its end. Each cheese spoils differently, and it is quite tricky to find out when the cheese has spoiled. Using bad cheese is not safe as it can cause food poisoning or can lead to foodborne illness. Therefore, before using cheese, it is essential to make sure that the cheese is in good condition.
Now you must be thinking how to determine if cheese is safe to use? Or to determine is cheese bad for you? There are three main features that you can use to determine whether a cheese is good. These three features include the appearance, smell, and taste of the cheese.
Appearance of Cheese
While checking the appearance of the cheese, evaluate is cheese mold? If yes, then the next step is to check whether the entire cheese is mold?
If you do not have much knowledge about cheese, then by seeing that the small amount of cheese is mold, you might think that it is spoiled, and you will feel like throwing it away. But don’t do it. Try to trim ¼-inch of the surface that is mold.
After removing the mold surface, if you find that the remaining cheese is clean and there is no other sign of spoilage, then the cheese is good to go. Nevertheless, if you find the entire cheese is mold, then it is not worth using.
Another appearance aspect that can help you in determining cheese safety includes color. If the color of the cheese is faded or darkened, then it might not be good to use.
Smell of Cheese
One of the signs of spoiled dairy products is a bad smell. Since cheese is a dairy product, you can check the cheese by smelling it. It is an effective way of determining whether the cheese is in good condition to use.
The smell of cheese varies depending on the type of cheese. The smell of spoiled cheese can be of ammonia, spoiled milk or refrigerator. The best thing to do is smell the cheese while purchasing it if you find any bad smell, then avoid purchasing it.
Taste of Cheese
When you are unable to determine whether the cheese is good to use, by its smell or appearance, then taste a small piece of cheese. I know it sounds like a bad idea, but it can help you in finding out if the cheese is spoiled.
Taste is one of the best ways to check the cheese. Taste only a small piece, small enough to determine the taste. If it tastes like sour or spoiled milk, then it is not good to use, it is better to throw it away.
Cheese can not last forever, but storing it safely can help you in keeping it fresh. In order to assure home food safety, it is best to refrigerate the food. In order to avoid the cheese from spoiling it, store it in the refrigerator.
Now you must be thinking, how long can cheese sit out? The answer to the question is that cheese can hardly sit out at room temperature for only 4 to 8 hours, depending on the type of cheese. For instance, brie cheese can stand out only for 4 hours. In order to keep the cheese fresh for a long time, store it in the refrigerator. Moreover, it is best to consume the cheese by the date that is mentioned on the label.
