Best storage solution to stop cheese ‘sweating’ and going mouldy

Express.co.uk spoke to Snowdonia Cheese about the best ways to store cheese, and a spokesperson discussed storage options for common hard and soft cheeses.

All cheeses should be refrigerated, according to the cheese experts, but depending on the cheese variety, the wrapping and location of storage differ.

The spokesperson said: “Hard cheese needs to be kept refrigerated and should be consumed by the best before date.

“Shelf life is dependent upon whether cheese is vacuum packed/flow wrapped or enrobed in wax, and cheese type. An example would be a mature cheddar vacuum packed 240 days and in wax 270 days from production.

“We recommend enjoying your cheese within seven days of opening, ensuring it is tightly wrapped and stored in the fridge to prevent air from getting into the product.

“Store soft cheese such as cream cheese in an airtight container and keep chilled. Use a clean utensil every time you cut cheese to reduce mould growth.

“For mould-ripened soft cheese, ensure clean wrap is used each time you rewrap. It should then keep for three to five days.

“We would always recommend going by the use by date for any cheese including soft cheese. Unlike hard cheese, soft cheese use by dates varies depending on the cheese type and what it’s wrapped in.”

As for what cheese should be wrapped in, “cling film can be used” but “cheese tends to sweat in clingfilm as it doesn’t allow the cheese to breath”.

If you are using cling film, the brand “recommends ensuring a clean [sheet of] wrap is used each time to help prevent mould growth”, otherwise, “parchment paper, baking paper or beeswax wraps are ideal”.

If you have a particularly smelly cheese, after being wrapped, it “can be kept in an airtight container to prevent odours escaping into the fridge and your kitchen every time you open the fridge door”.

As for where is best to store hard cheese to prevent it from going mouldy, the spokesperson added: “A crisper drawer works well for cheese storage because they have a humidity vent.”

Alongside incorrect wrapping, cheese goes mouldy because of “high moisture in the cheese” and “air exposure”. The expert added: “Moisture levels vary considerably according to type and age of cheese”, so some varieties will go mouldy faster than others, for example; mozzarella, brie, very young cheddar and gouda (typically 8-12 weeks of age).

Anyone wondering if you can eat cheese that has gone slightly mouldy, Snowdonia Cheese said: “On a hard cheese it is possible to cut mould off, trim to 1cm depth to make sure all mould growth has been removed, however, we don’t recommend consuming mouldy cheese.”

To prevent mould from forming and then incurring food waste, some cheeses can be frozen. The spokesperson said: “Some hard and blue cheeses can be frozen for up to one month, ensuring they are defrosted in the fridge. But, as freezing can change the texture, we do not recommend freezing Snowdonia Cheese products.”