Frederic Melton
Blue cheese is a beloved ingredient for some, a source of disgust for others. Its pungent smell and crumbly texture are off-putting to some, but for fans, it is a welcome addition to a salad, sandwich, or pizza. But how do you know when blue cheese has gone bad? The mold on blue cheese is from the same family of spores used to make penicillin and is safe to eat. However, blue cheese can go bad, and when it does, it will have an ammonia-like smell, be slimy, gritty, or have white, pink, or green mold.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How to tell if blue cheese is bad | If the creamy part of the cheese turns pink, brown, green, or blue, it has likely spoiled. If it smells like ammonia, it is bad. If it becomes slimy or takes on a fuzzy exterior mold, it is time to throw it out. |
| How to store blue cheese | Blue cheese should be refrigerated and will generally last three to four weeks if stored properly. It can also be stored in the freezer. |
| Expiration | The expiration date on the packaging should be checked. |
| Taste | Blue cheese has a strong, sharp taste. |
| Smell | Blue cheese has a distinctive, pungent scent. |
| Texture | Blue cheese can be creamy or crumbly, and it can range in colour from pale to dark |
| Ingredients | Blue cheese is made with the addition of cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins. Salt is sometimes used as a preservative. |
| Health concerns | Butyric acid, an oily, colorless liquid present in blue cheese, is said to be similar to vomit. |
| Popularity | Blue cheese is considered to be divisive, with some people loving it and others hating it. It was listed as one of the 10 most hated foods in the UK in a 2019 poll. However, a blue cheese was named the "Greatest Cheese in the World" at the 2022 World Cheese Awards. |
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What You'll Learn
Blue cheese is safe to eat and has health benefits
Blue cheese is made with the addition of cultures of edible moulds, which create blue-green spots or veins through the cheese. While it is divisive, with some people loving it and others hating it, blue cheese is safe to eat and has some health benefits.
Blue cheese is purposefully created with mould, which can make it hard to tell if it has gone bad. However, there are some telltale signs to look out for. The mould in blue cheese is usually blue or green, but if it starts to turn to a different colour, such as black, grey, pink, or yellow, it's time to throw it out. The creamy part of the cheese should be white, beige, or yellow, and if it starts to turn pink, brown, or green, the cheese has likely spoiled.
Blue cheese should be refrigerated and will generally last three to four weeks if stored properly. It can also be frozen and then switched to the refrigerator shortly before using it. However, its texture and flavour will change upon thawing. If left unrefrigerated, blue cheese should be thrown out after two days.
Despite its strong smell and pungent taste, blue cheese is safe to eat and can even offer some health benefits. The edible mould in blue cheese is a species of Penicillium roqueforti, which has been found to have antimicrobial properties. Additionally, blue cheese is a source of valuable nutrients, including protein, calcium, and phosphorous.
While blue cheese is generally safe to eat, it is important to note that it is high in fat and sodium, so it should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
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How to tell if blue cheese has gone bad
Blue cheese is made with the addition of cultures of edible molds, which create blue-green spots or veins through the cheese and give it a pungent taste and scent. While some people enjoy this distinctive smell, it can be off-putting to others, and it can be confusing when trying to tell if the cheese has gone bad.
Firstly, check the expiration date on the packaging. If you've missed this, 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. If you're unsure, compare it to how it smelled when it was fresh. If you didn't take a whiff when it was new, it's a good idea to give blue cheese a smell when you first buy it, so you can more easily detect when the scent changes.
Another way to tell if blue cheese has gone bad is to look at the color of the creamy part of the cheese, which should be white, beige, or yellow. If you notice it has started to turn pink, brown, or green, it has likely spoiled. Again, it's a good idea to note the color when the cheese is fresh, so it's easier to spot any changes.
You can also tell if blue cheese has gone bad by tasting it. Fresh blue cheese has a strong, sharp taste, but when it starts to spoil, it becomes especially biting. If you taste a bit of the blue cheese and it's too strong to enjoy, you should throw it away. While eating a small amount of spoiled blue cheese is unlikely to make you sick, it's best to stick within a timeline of about one to two weeks after opening.
Finally, look out for mold. Blue cheese already has mold in it, but unintended mold looks drastically different from the blue-green mold spores you want. Keep an eye out for fuzzy, grey-black mold spots, or glistening yellow areas. If you see mold on soft blue cheese, it's time to toss it. For hard cheeses, you can cut away the moldy part and consume the rest of the cheese.
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Blue cheese is the worst cheese
Blue cheese is, without a doubt, the worst type of cheese. Not only is it created by adding mould to milk or curd, but it also has a pungent taste and smell. The mould in blue cheese can easily turn other cheeses blue through close contact, which is a good indicator of its powerful influence.
Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperatures and moisture levels that happened to be favourable environments for mould. This is ironic because, despite its origin story, blue cheese is often considered to be the worst cheese due to its mouldy appearance and strong smell.
The process of making blue cheese involves adding Penicillium roqueforti, a species of mould, to milk or curd to create blue-green spots or veins throughout the cheese. This gives it its distinctive sharp taste and trademark streaks of colour. Blue cheese can vary in flavour, colour, and consistency, but it is often described as having a pungent scent and a strong, sharp taste.
One of the biggest indicators that blue cheese has gone bad is the colour. If the mould or the body of the cheese starts to turn a different colour, such as black, grey, pink, or yellow, it should be thrown out. Additionally, if the cheese becomes slimy or develops a fuzzy exterior mould, it is time to get rid of it.
The divisive nature of blue cheese is well-documented, with some people loving it and others hating it. Those who dislike it often cite the acidity, metallic notes, and off-putting texture as reasons for their aversion. The butyric acid present in blue cheese can also be off-putting, as it is similar to the taste of vomit.
In conclusion, blue cheese is the worst cheese due to its mouldy appearance, strong smell, and sharp taste. It is created by adding mould to milk or curd, and it can easily influence other cheeses through close contact. With its distinct appearance, flavour, and texture, blue cheese is a divisive food that some people love while others find it unappetizing.
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Blue cheese storage
Blue cheese is a finicky cheese to store. The cheese paste is often delicate, with its pierced blue veining, making it more susceptible to oxidizing and losing its surface moisture. The cheese shouldn't have new mould or look very different from when you bought it. Avoid wedges that have excess moisture in the packaging, as that is a sign that the cheese is past its prime.
Blue cheese likes to be stored in a climate with high humidity—at least 80%—to keep the cheese paste fresh. The tricky task is to guarantee that the cheese stays in a humid climate without trapping moisture. If moisture is trapped on the surface of the cheese, this usually results in the rapid degradation of the cheese and the emergence of unwanted, pinkish bacteria that are inedible.
Blue cheese should be wrapped in a breathable material to prevent it from drying out. Experts recommend a variety of wrappers: aluminium foil, parchment paper, or even a loose zipper-lock bag (not a vacuum-sealed bag). One method is to wrap the cheese first with parchment paper and then with a loose covering of aluminium foil, which mimics the two-ply construction of cheese paper.
Blue cheese should be refrigerated to keep it fresh, so if you leave it out, it will spoil more quickly. In most cases, you'll notice that it's gone bad after just a few days. If you've accidentally left blue cheese out, it's best to throw it away if it's been two days or more. Refrigerated blue cheese should be thrown away after three to four weeks.
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Blue cheese origins
Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident. According to legend, one of the first blue cheeses, Roquefort, was discovered when a young boy, eating bread and ewe's milk cheese, left his meal in a cave after seeing a beautiful girl in the distance. When he returned months later, the mould (Penicillium roqueforti) had transformed his cheese into Roquefort. However, this legend has been disputed by old French texts, which suggest that blue cheese moulds colonized cheese from within and not on the surface. The idea that blue cheese mould came from a plant pathogen of rye, which made its way into the flour and then the baked bread, is supported by other Penicillium species that tend to infect or decompose plants.
Gorgonzola, which originated in the village of Gorgonzola in Italy, is one of the oldest known blue cheeses, having been created around AD 879. However, it is said that it did not contain blue veins until around the 11th century. Stilton is a relatively new addition, becoming popular sometime in the early 1700s. Many varieties of blue cheese have since originated, such as the 20th-century Danablu and Cambozola, which were attempts to fill the demand for Roquefort-style cheeses.
In the European Union, many blue cheeses, such as Cabrales, Danablu, Gorgonzola, Roquefort and Blue Stilton, carry a protected designation of origin, meaning they can bear their name only if they have been made in a particular region. Gorgonzola Dolce is a younger variant compared to Gorgonzola Natural (aka Picante). Blue Stilton, on the other hand, is harder and crumbly, with aromas of damp earth and deep savoury flavours.
Blue cheese is made in pretty much every country famous for its cheese. Besides the aforementioned varieties, other well-known blue cheeses include Valdeon from Spain and Cambozola from the United States, which has a minimum milk fat content of 50% and a maximum moisture of 46%.
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Frequently asked questions
Blue cheese is safe to eat. It is made using cultures of Penicillium, a type of mold that is safe for human consumption.
Blue cheese can go bad if it is not stored properly. Signs of spoilage include a change in smell, taste, or color. If you notice any fuzzy white, green, pink, or grey spots growing on the surface of blue cheese, it has gone bad.
If wrapped and refrigerated, blue cheese can last 3-4 weeks. Frozen blue cheese can last indefinitely, although freezing it may slightly alter its texture and appearance.
