How to keep cheese in the refrigerator longer: cheese containers, parchment paper, freezing, and many other tips in the article.
If we answer the question of how to keep cheese fresh in the refrigerator for a long time, in a nutshell, then it’s worth saying that:
- The cheese must be removed from the film packaging.
- Cheese should be placed in the refrigerator in closed containers.
- Salt water, parchment and foil help preserve cheese.
- Cheese can be frozen.
We will tell you more about all this in this article. Advice from chefs, cheese makers and ordinary housewives. As well as a description of technologies and little secrets that will tell you how to keep cheese fresh in the refrigerator for a long time, you will find all this in the material below.
How to keep cheese fresh in the refrigerator for a long time: manufacturers' recommendations
The most reliable information about how and how long to store cheese can be obtained by studying the manufacturers' recommendations . This information is official and verified; production technologists and State Consumer Supervision Authorities vouch for its accuracy. What do cheese makers say about the shelf life of cheeses?
In the home refrigerator, the best place for cheese is the “fresh zone” . Where the temperature is just above zero.
Kostroma cheese.
Shelf life of cheese indicated by the manufacturer As you can see, cheese can be stored for quite a long time, as much as 3 months. However, there is one huge “but”: such expiration dates are only valid for hermetically sealed cheeses . Such cheese as in the photo above, in large heads, is packed using a vacuum sealer in a special multilayer film. And as soon as this factory film is broken, the shelf life becomes completely different. It is believed that a cut head of cheese can be stored for only a week.
Example of information from a cheese manufacturer: Shelf life 180 days if the package is intact and the relative humidity is not more than 86%. After opening the package, the shelf life is no more than 7 days, at a temperature of 0 to plus 4 degrees and a relative humidity of no more than 86%.
The chefs, also telling how to keep cheese fresh in the refrigerator for a long time, mention that the product, without its original packaging, can last no more than 7 days.
Cheese in a store window
In store windows you can often see cut heads of cheese and triangular pieces packed in film. Keep in mind that the shelf life of such cheese is a week, and only on condition that the refrigerated display case is working correctly and the temperature in it is not higher than 6 degrees. It’s good if you buy cheese in a store near your home, where you constantly go, and you saw that a cut head of cheese appeared there only yesterday. But if you don’t know this, then buy cheese at your own peril and risk.
If you are not entirely sure about the freshness of cheese wrapped in film, it is safer to give preference to a block of cheese in a small factory package. The shelf life of such cheese is much longer.
Pieces of cheese in individual packaging in the dairy department
As for the humidity required for cheese , in central Russia, it is usually normal. For example, in Moscow today the humidity is 75%, in Rostov 71%. And no special measures related to humidity are required to preserve the cheese longer. Low humidity is usually in the northern regions, and very high - only in equatorial countries.
Classification of cheeses, conditions and expiration dates for various types
Depending on the type of cheese, the density, composition, fat content, and amount of salt changes. The shelf life and storage conditions directly depend on this (see table).
How long and under what conditions should cheese be stored depending on its class?
Do you know that…
The cheese acquires its unique taste during the ripening process, which lasts, depending on the variety, from 2 weeks to several years. Therefore, products are sent for sale or processing when they are already “old”, and their expiration dates for the consumer are established from the moment the technological process is completed.
How to keep cheese fresh in the refrigerator for a long time?
If you brought cheese home and managed to open the package, you should get rid of the factory film. As soon as you open the package, air, moisture and bacteria have already entered it. And this oilcloth itself, tightly fitting the cheese, has turned into an environment favorable for the growth of bacteria.
How to keep cheese fresh in the refrigerator for a long time:
- Tip 1: Remove the film or original packaging from the cheese.
How to choose dishes to keep cheese fresh in the refrigerator for a long time? An excellent option for storing cheese in the refrigerator is a glass container; the lid must close tightly, and can be plastic. Glass is one of the safest materials for storing food; it does not react with food in any way. If you don’t have a glass container at hand, a food-grade plastic box will do.
A good option are gastronomic containers with stainless steel , which are used by professional chefs. But not every home kitchen has such utensils.
- Tip 2: To prevent the cheese from drying out and becoming weathered, use containers that close tightly to store it.
An aesthetic and convenient option is a dish with a glass lid. Some cookware manufacturers say that such sets are designed specifically for cheese.
How to store cheese, dish with lid
Manufacturers of plastic containers also sometimes pleasantly surprise with their originality. For example, on sale you can find containers specifically designed for triangular pieces of cheese.
The container will help keep the cheese on the refrigerator shelf longer
How to pack cheese for storage in the refrigerator? It is very undesirable for the cheese to dry out and, at the same time, it must “breathe”. Parchment paper , which is used for baking, is an excellent packaging that meets these requirements.
- Tip 3: Wrap the cheese in oiled parchment paper, it will help it not dry out.
Parchment paper will help keep cheese in the refrigerator
If you are interested in how to keep cheese fresh in the refrigerator for a long time, know that foil can become your faithful assistant. Manufacturers in the Soviet Union chose this packaging for processed cheese curds. And this is no coincidence; foil perfectly helps preserve the freshness of the cheese.
- Tip 5: Instead of parchment paper, you can wrap the cheese in foil.
Foil will help the cheese stay fresh longer.
Vacuum bags for food, also suitable for cheese. Before putting the cheese there, it is better to wrap it in foil or parchment. These bags are an alternative to containers. They are convenient when you need to save space on your refrigerator shelves.
Vacuum bags for food will help preserve cheese
- Tip 6: Vacuum bags can replace food containers. Many of these bags are suitable for freezing.
Using a salt solution is another method that will extend the life of the cheese. Perhaps someone remembers how our grandmothers stored homemade cheese, in those days when there were no traces of plastic bags and food containers. A round head was made from the cheese and wrapped in rough cloth. This packaging “breathes”. And if you wet the cloth with a salt solution, it will also help the cheese last longer. Traditional proportions of salt and water for storing cheese are 200 g of salt per 1 liter of water.
- Tip 7: Wrap the cheese in a cloth soaked in salt water.
The fabric helps preserve the cheese longer
Cook's tip: After you remove the cheese from the refrigerator, let it sit at room temperature for an hour. This is true for a piece weighing 100 g. If a piece weighs 300 g, then it should lie for 3 hours. When the cheese rests, it will become tastier and its flavor composition will be better revealed.
Factors that lead to spoilage
Even the freshest and highest quality cheese can lose its taste characteristics or deteriorate if the following factors are allowed to influence:
- Temperature too high. It has a particularly detrimental effect on varieties with high humidity. Such conditions favor the development of pathogenic bacteria. For drier cheeses, the risk is less. But, with prolonged exposure to high temperatures, they can also deteriorate. This factor also has a bad effect on appearance and taste. The surface becomes sticky and the taste becomes rancid.
- Temperature too low. Cold environments can dry out the product. The maturation process slows down. Cold can also ruin the taste. Even using a refrigerator, you should place the cheese in a special place with an appropriate temperature regime.
- Incorrect packaging. Cheeses for sale are offered in vacuum packages. If consumed immediately after purchase, vacuum or plastic packaging should be removed. For further storage, wrap it in special breathable paper. You can use aluminum foil.
How to keep cheese fresh in the refrigerator for a long time by freezing it?
Cheese manufacturers do not say that their product can be frozen, especially when it is already printed. But some housewives share their experience on how to keep cheese fresh in the refrigerator for a long time by freezing it. They say that frozen cheese does not lose its taste for up to a month.
Freezing cheese is not a panacea. Cheese that has been frozen should be eaten within 24 hours after it has been thawed. And after a month, the cheese, even in the freezer, will definitely go bad.
So, cheese can be frozen in three types:
- Grated.
- Sliced.
- Bar.
It is highly advisable to put stickers with the date of freezing.
Frozen cheese taken out of the freezer
To freeze shredded cheese , place it in a zip-top food bag. If the farm has a vacuum cleaner, of course, it is better to use it. To prevent the cheese from freezing and turning into a solid lump, you need to shake it as it freezes. For example, taking it out of the freezer 15 minutes after you put it there, and then another half hour later.
How to store grated cheese?
Cheese into thin blocks , perfect for sandwiches, should be covered with pieces of oiled paper or foil before freezing. This way, when you take the cheese out of the freezer, it will be easy to separate the slices from each other.
The parchment paper makes it easy to separate frozen cheese pieces from each other.
By freezing you can try to extend the life of the cheese. But this only applies to hard cheese. It is better not to freeze cheese and cottage cheese; after defrosting, a lot of moisture comes out of them, they lose their consistency and spoil.
Is it possible to freeze
Freezing any dairy products is considered a necessary measure, which is resorted to only in the absence of other options. To store cheese in the freezer, there are several important points to consider. Among them are the following:
- You can put semi-hard and hard cheeses in the freezer. Other varieties will lose their taste and most of their nutrients when exposed to cold.
- Large pieces of cheese can be refrigerated in packaged form. The container can be cling film or baking paper.
- For sliced cheese, the best packaging is a plastic container. You need to carefully place pieces of the product into it and sprinkle them with wheat flour.
- It is recommended to sprinkle the grated cheese with starch, which will prevent it from turning into one big lump.
- The maximum shelf life in the freezer is 180 days. However, experts recommend eating the product within 3 months. After this period, it will become tasteless and similar to chewing gum.
Mold on cheese - is it a sign of spoilage?
Mold in cheese is completely normal. In cheese cellars, cheese can be stored from several months to six months. And mold will inevitably form on its surface. The wooden shelves on which the heads lie also become moldy. Manufacturers clean the heads of mold and disinfect the boards under sunlight after each production cycle. But mold and cheese are still inseparable. Take a look at the next photo, the more mature cheeses on the right clearly have mold on them.
Mold on cheese in cheese cellars
If something similar happened to the cheese in your refrigerator, this also does not mean that the cheese is completely spoiled. However, mold from cheese must be trimmed off . And if we are talking about thin bars, then there will simply be nothing left of them.
Some cheesemakers who love traditional organic methods even use mold on the cheese as a natural packaging. And they express the opinion that it protects the product better than film, which does not breathe, and better than wax, which cracks.
What to do with a spoiled product?
Spoiled cheese doesn't have to go in the trash.
The same hard cheeses that are covered with mold can be eaten. You just need to cut off the mold that appears with a knife.
If the cheese has dried out, which happens with hard cheeses, then it cannot be called completely spoiled. It can be grated and sprinkled on a dish, or baked . The taste of such cheese is in no way inferior to fresh cheese.
How can you not store cheese in the refrigerator?
In order for the cheese to be well preserved, it is better not to forget about the rules of the commodity neighborhood . These rules are mandatory for catering establishments and store warehouses, and are not mandatory for the home. But if you follow them, they will still tell you how to keep cheese fresh in the refrigerator for a long time.
Cheese is a finished product, that is, one that goes into food without heat treatment, therefore:
- Cheese should not be stored in the refrigerator on the same shelf as raw foods . Pathogenic bacteria from them can settle on the cheese. This is especially true for raw meat and fish.
- Cheese should not be stored on the same shelf as eggs . Eggs are one of the most dangerous foods. Bacteria that are found on their surface very often lead to poisoning and serious infectious diseases. In some good catering establishments, eggs are generally washed with disinfectants before cooking from them.
- It is advisable that the refrigerator have a separate shelf for “milk”.
- Do not leave a spoon in the grated cheese or place the cheese in an unprofessional metal container , such as an enamel plate. The metal releases harmful substances into food.
Try to store food in the refrigerator, observing the rules of product proximity
. You may be interested in our other articles:
- How to store onions at home?
- How to properly store ginger and how long can it be stored?
- How to store beets?
- How and where is it better to store dried fruits?
- How and for how long can mushrooms, frozen and boiled, be stored?
- How to preserve garlic?
- How to freeze berries in the refrigerator?
- How to properly store vegetables in the refrigerator?
Freezing
Cheese can be stored in the freezer for up to six months. Please note that only hard and semi-hard varieties can be frozen. Still, it is worth noting that freezing is an extreme measure that is taken if it is not possible to consume the product before the expiration date, because its taste properties do not change for the better. You most likely won’t want to eat this cheese in its pure form.
However, if the need arises, you can freeze cheese like this:
- one piece, tightly wrapped in foil or parchment and cling film,
- in the form of slices, which are used in making hot sandwiches (put in a container, sprinkle with flour),
- grate and pour into a glass jar (in this case, the cheese shavings should also be mixed with a small amount of flour and shaken several times during the freezing process).
One of the most often combined products with cheese is butter. It is not consumed in large quantities and is often stored at very low temperatures. You can find out how long butter can be stored in the freezer in a separate article about storing this product.
