Is It Dangerous to Eat Mold on Cheese?
Opening the refrigerator and finding the cheese you purchased covered in a furry blue or green mold is a decidedly unpleasant experience. Whether or not it is still OK to eat the moldy cheese depends on what type of cheese it is. Does this Spark an idea?
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Mold Dangers
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Molds that are not part of the cheese-making process can act as host to a bevy of dangerous bacteria, including listeria and salmonella.
Good Molds
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Certain cheese types, such as Roquefort and blue cheese, are moldy to begin with. However, if you notice mold that appears different from the cheese's natural mold, follow the same advice for non-moldy cheese.
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Hard Cheese
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If you encounter mold on a hard cheese such as Parmesan or a semi-hard cheese such as cheddar, it is possible to save the rest of the cheese. Remove the moldy portion on a hard or semi-hard cheese by cutting at least one inch around the mold. Make sure the knife does not touch the mold so that you do not risk contaminating the rest of the cheese.
Soft Cheese
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The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends that you discard soft cheeses, such as cream cheese and cottage cheese, that have mold on them.
Preshredded and Grated Cheese
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Shredded or grated cheese that has grown mold should also be discarded. Even if you attempt to remove all the moldy pieces of cheese, there is the risk that some mold spores will remain.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Chris Buecheler
