Will Cheese Make Me Sick?
Will cheese make me sick?
What if my cheese accidentally gets too warm? Is is still safe to eat? Will cheese make me sick?
How long can I leave my cheese out of refrigeration?
I have a long drive home. Will my cheese be ok?
On these warm summer days we get these questions quite a bit.
The answer is not a straight forward yes or no answer. It depends on one basic factor.
What type of cheese is it?
There are 3 basic categories that all cheeses fall into.
Hard, Semi Soft, Soft or Fresh
There are differing opinions about which categories each cheese belongs in. Some of that can depend on the methods each cheese maker uses to make there cheese. You will be able to see and feel for yourself how hard or soft the cheese is that you have.
Hard cheese has less moisture left in it. The cheese is cooked at higher temperatures so more whey drains out.
Softer cheeses have more moisture left in them so they are more susceptible to spoiling.
Hard – Parmesan, Romano, Provolone, Gouda, Cheddar
Because of their low moisture content hard cheeses are pretty much indestructible. If they do develop a little bit of mold you can just cut it off and still eat the rest of the cheese. It’s quite safe.
Farmers all over the world used cheese making as a way to preserve milk before refrigeration was available. They made cheese in the spring when their cow was giving lots of milk, then they ate the cheese during the winter months when their cows were not milking.
Hard Cheeses are safe without refrigeration. Some would even recommend it for better flavor.
Just be sure to keep them covered so they don’t dry out.
The ideal temperature would be between 50 to 70 deg F.
If hard cheeses get really warm they can begin to melt and the oils will separate out. This may alter the texture of the cheese and make it less appetizing but it’s not dangerous to eat.
Semi Soft Cheeses – Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Cheese Curds, Blue Cheese, Camembert
As a rule the softer the cheese gets the more careful you need to be about refrigeration. Semi soft cheeses have more moisture left in them so they are more likely to develop mold on them.
If you purchased cheese somewhere and have a few hours drive home, your semi soft cheeses will be fine. The package is sealed and won’t develop any bad molds.
If you’ve opened up the cheese and had it sitting out for a few hours on a cheese board you will need to be a bit more cautious. I would wrap it up, stick it back in the fridge and check on it in a day or two. If it looks and smells fine, your in the clear.
It’s not recommended by the experts, but I have cut mold off of these types of cheeses and eaten the rest. You can decide for yourself what level of risk you are comfortable with.
Soft or Fresh – Quark, Cottage Cheese, Cream Cheese
Eat soft cheese soon and keep it refrigerated.
Do not leave soft cheeses out for longer than two hours. They are much more likely to develop mold and bacteria because of their high moisture content.
When these cheeses are left out too long it is probably best to throw it out especially if it has been opened.
The nice thing about dairy products is that if they are bad you will notice.
By the time there is enough bacteria to make you sick, it just tastes and smells soo bad your not likely to eat it. Spoiled dairy products have a nasty taste to them or obvious mold.
(the exception to this rule would be raw milk, there can be bacteria in raw milk that could make you sick that you won’t see or taste. )
Cheese is a preserved product.
There are a few reasons that cheese is not as likely as some other foods to make you sick.
- Good bacteria is added to milk the begin the cheese making process. These good bacteria crowd out the bad bacteria.
- Most cheeses have salt added to them. Mostly just as salt but sometimes as a brine. This helps with preservation as well.
If your refrigerate your cheese or not depends on opinion and the type of cheese your dealing with.
I hope this helps you to eat your cheese with confidence and not worry, “Will cheese make me sick?”