Bushra Griffith
Crumbled blue cheese is crafted from cow, sheep, or goat milk and is distinguished by its rich, bold taste and characteristic blue-green marbling. It is a popular ingredient in home cooking, as it can be sprinkled over salads, stirred into pasta sauces, or melted on top of a burger or steak. When it comes to blue cheese, it can be tricky to know when it has gone bad, as the cheese is already packed with mold. So, how do you know when crumbled blue cheese has gone bad?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Storage | Keep blue cheese refrigerated at all times. Double-wrap in plastic and seal in a freezer bag before freezing. |
| Shelf Life | Consume within 5-7 days of opening. |
| Signs of Spoilage | Dark fuzzy mold (black or grey), sour smell, hard or dry texture, foul odour, musty or ammonia-like smell. |
| Taste | Strong, pungent, distinctive, overpowering. |
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What You'll Learn
Blue cheese storage
Blue cheese is a pungent, divisive food that can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. When stored properly, it can last for several weeks in the fridge and indefinitely in the freezer.
Refrigeration
To keep blue cheese fresh for as long as possible when storing it in the refrigerator, ensure that it is tightly sealed and wrapped and that the refrigerator temperature is not set above 40°F (4.4°C). An opened package of blue cheese crumbles will last for about 5 to 7 days in these conditions. A block of blue cheese will last for 3 to 4 weeks if it is tightly wrapped and refrigerated.
Freezing
If you want to store your blue cheese in the freezer, you must cut it into pieces that are no larger than half a pound (about 225 grams) each. For crumbled blue cheese, divide it into portions of similar weight. Use a food scale to weigh each portion before preparing it for storage.
Whether you plan to store blue cheese in the refrigerator or freezer, it needs to be properly wrapped to ensure that it will stay fresh for as long as possible. First, wrap the cheese in wax or parchment paper. Next, place plastic wrap or foil over the paper to ensure that the cheese won't dry out. If you are freezing the cheese, place the wrapped pieces into a plastic freezer bag to protect them from freezer burn.
Signs of Spoilage
Blue cheese can go bad if it is not stored properly. Signs of spoilage may include:
- Smell—Fresh blue cheese has a strong scent, but it changes as it starts to go bad. If it has an ammonia-like smell, it is probably spoiled.
- Color—Pay attention to the color of the creamy part of the cheese. Look out for fuzzy mold, darker in color, usually black, grey, white, green, or pink.
- Texture—Discard the cheese if its surface appears slimy or fuzzy.
- Taste—Fresh blue cheese has a strong, sharp taste. Old cheese becomes especially biting when it starts to spoil. If it's too strong to enjoy, you should throw it away.
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How to identify spoilage
Blue cheese is known for its signature streaks of mold and pungent aroma, so it can be challenging to tell when it has gone bad. However, it is important to be able to spot the difference between good and spoiled blue cheese to avoid food poisoning or accidentally consuming toxic mold. Here are some ways to identify if crumbled blue cheese has gone bad:
Check for mold
The blue-green veins in blue cheese are Penicillium mold spores, which are safe to consume and give the cheese its distinctive taste. However, if you notice fuzzy, grey-black mold spots, or any mold that looks different from the intended blue-green mold, discard the cheese.
Smell the cheese
Blue cheese has a distinct, pungent smell, and it is normal for it to have a slightly ammonia-like scent initially. However, if the ammonia odor becomes much stronger, or the cheese smells stale or musty, it has likely gone bad.
Examine the color
The creamy part of the blue cheese should typically be white or cream-colored. If it turns pink, green, brown, or yellow, it indicates spoilage.
Texture changes
If the cheese becomes slimy, tough, or dry, it has likely spoiled. Additionally, if the cheese goes soft and mold appears, it is best to discard it as softness indicates low acidity, making it less safe to consume.
Taste
If the blue cheese still smells and looks the same, you can try tasting a small amount. Fresh blue cheese has a strong, sharp taste, and if it becomes too strong or biting to enjoy, it has likely spoiled. However, always exercise caution and prioritize other indicators of spoilage, as tasting potentially spoiled food carries risks.
To prolong the shelf life of crumbled blue cheese, proper storage is essential. Keep it in the fridge, and once opened, seal it tightly before returning it to the refrigerator. It is best to consume crumbled blue cheese within about a week of opening for optimal quality.
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Good vs bad mould
Blue cheese is supposed to have mould in it, but how can you tell when it has gone bad?
Blue cheese contains edible mould, which gives it a pungent taste and smell. This mould is perfectly safe to eat, but blue cheese can go bad just like any other cheese. Knowing how to spot this is important for enjoying cheese safely.
The best way to tell if your blue cheese has spoiled is to smell it. Fresh blue cheese has a strong scent, but it changes as it starts to go bad. If it has an ammonia-like smell, it is probably spoiled. It's a good idea to smell the cheese when you've just bought it, so you know what it smells like when it's fresh and can better detect when the scent changes.
You can also look at the colour of the cheese. Fresh blue cheese already has mould in it, which is typically blue or green. However, you want to pay attention to the colour of the creamy part of the cheese. If it has bluish-mouldy spots, it has likely gone bad. For hard cheeses, you can cut away the mould and consume the rest of the cheese. But for soft cheeses, particularly blue cheese, once unintended mould has appeared, it's time to throw it out. The mould you don't want to see in blue cheese is usually black or grey in colour.
Tasting the cheese is another way to tell if it has gone bad. If your blue cheese still smells the same and hasn't changed colour, you can usually tell if it's gone bad by giving it a taste. Fresh blue cheese has a strong, sharp taste, but old cheese becomes especially biting when it starts to spoil. If you taste a bit of the blue cheese and it's too strong to enjoy, you should throw it away. In most cases, eating a small amount of spoiled blue cheese won't make you sick, so tasting it isn't dangerous.
To keep your blue cheese fresh for as long as possible, make sure your refrigerator temperature isn't set above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to store your blue cheese in the freezer, cut it into pieces no larger than half a pound each and double-wrap them. Blue cheese can last indefinitely in the freezer, but for the best taste and texture, it shouldn't be kept frozen for more than six months.
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Freezing crumbled blue cheese
Blue cheese is a strong-smelling and sharp-tasting cheese that is loved by some and hated by others. If you're a fan of this pungent delicacy, you might find yourself buying more than you can eat and wondering if you can freeze it for later. The good news is that you absolutely can freeze blue cheese! Here's how to do it:
Preparing the Cheese for Freezing
First, you'll need to decide how much cheese you want to freeze. For crumbled blue cheese, divide it into portions of about 1/2 pound each. Use a food scale to weigh each portion. If you're freezing a block of blue cheese, it's best to cut it into smaller pieces so that it thaws quicker.
Wrapping the Cheese
To ensure your blue cheese stays fresh for as long as possible, proper wrapping is key. First, wrap the cheese in wax or parchment paper. Then, cover it with plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out. If you're freezing the cheese, place the double-wrapped package into a plastic freezer bag to protect it from freezer burn. You can also use a vacuum sealer to remove all the air from the bag and help extend the shelf life of the cheese. However, note that mould needs oxygen, so this may not be the best option for blue cheese.
Storing in the Freezer
Label the freezer bag or container with the date of freezing so you know how long it's been in the freezer. Blue cheese can last indefinitely in the freezer if kept at 0 degrees Fahrenheit, but for the best taste and texture, it's recommended not to freeze it for more than six months.
Thawing and Using Frozen Blue Cheese
When you're ready to use your frozen blue cheese, thaw it in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that the taste and texture may change slightly after thawing. Frozen and thawed blue cheese tends to lose some of its sharp flavour and crumbles more easily. It may work better in some dishes than others, so consider using it in recipes where it will be mixed with other ingredients.
Signs of Spoilage
Whether it's frozen or fresh, blue cheese can go bad. The best way to tell if your blue cheese has spoiled is by its smell, taste, and appearance. Fresh blue cheese has a strong, pungent odour, but as it starts to spoil, this smell can become stronger and more ammonia-like. The taste of blue cheese also becomes more biting and intense when it's past its prime. In terms of appearance, keep an eye out for fuzzy or slimy surfaces, and colour changes. If the creamy part of the cheese turns green or brown, or if you see black or grey mould, it's time to toss it out. Remember, eating spoiled blue cheese is unlikely to make you sick, but it's always better to be safe than sorry!
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Blue cheese shelf life
Blue cheese is made using cultures of Penicillium, a type of mould. This gives the cheese its distinctive taste and pungent smell. While blue cheese is supposed to have some mould, it can still go bad.
When stored properly, blue cheese can last 3 to 4 weeks in the refrigerator. To store blue cheese properly, it should be kept in the fridge at a temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and be tightly wrapped to ensure that it will stay fresh as long as possible. If you want to store blue cheese in the freezer, you must cut it into pieces that are no larger than half a pound each. For crumbled blue cheese, divide it into portions of similar weight. The cheese should be double-wrapped—first in wax or parchment paper, and then covered with plastic wrap or foil. If stored in the freezer, blue cheese can last for 6 months to indefinitely. However, the taste and texture of blue cheese can change slightly when it's thawed—it loses some of its sharp flavour and usually crumbles more easily.
There are several signs that can indicate that blue cheese has gone bad. One of the key indicators that cheese has gone bad is when bluish mouldy spots begin to appear. The mould you don't want to see in blue cheese is typically fuzzy and white, green, black, blue, or grey in colour. It also usually has a darker colour, and a different texture from the blue-green mould spores that are safe to eat. Another way to tell if blue cheese has gone bad is by its smell. Fresh blue cheese has a strong scent, but it changes as it starts to spoil. If the cheese has an ammonia-like smell, it is probably spoiled. The cheese may also have a musty odour. Yeast may also appear in more yellow or pink colours that look slimy.
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Frequently asked questions
The best way to tell if your blue cheese has gone bad is to smell it. Fresh blue cheese has a strong scent, but it changes as it starts to go bad. If it has an ammonia-like smell, it is probably spoiled. If the smell is musty or fully ammonia-pungent, it has likely gone bad.
Blue cheese already has mold in it, which is typically blue or green in color. The mold you don't want to see in blue cheese is fuzzy and usually black or grey.
To maximize the shelf life of blue cheese crumbles, keep the package tightly sealed and refrigerated at all times. When properly stored, an opened package of blue cheese crumbles will last for about 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator.
Yes, you can freeze blue cheese to extend its shelf life. First, divide the crumbles into portions that are no larger than half a pound each. Then, double-wrap the cheese. First, wrap the cheese in wax or parchment paper, and then place plastic wrap or foil over the paper. Finally, place the double-wrapped pieces into a plastic freezer bag.
Bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F. Blue cheese crumbles should be discarded if left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.
