Can you eat cheese after the best before date?
BEST before dates are about quality and not safety.
A lot of different foods can still be consumed after the best before date, so what are the rules around cheese?
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Variation of hard and soft cheeseCredit: Getty
Can you eat cheese after the best before date?
It is safe to eat hard cheese like cheddar, parmesan, and emmental after the best before date.
Hard cheese can have a best before date of up to or more than twelve months.
However it is not recommended to eat soft cheese like brie, camembert or cottage cheese after the best before date.
Soft cheese has a shorter shelf life since it is softer and creamier.
How long is cheese good after the expiration date?
Hard cheese can last to up to six months if not opened and refrigerated.
Unopened soft cheese lasts only a maximum of two weeks, even in the fridge.
The shelf life of cheese after opening can vary from the type of cheese from seven days to two months.
Here is a list of cheese types and their shelf lives after opening:
- Blue cheese – 7 days
- Brie – 7 days
- Feta – 7 days
- Mozzarella – 7 days
- American – 1 to 2 months
- Cheddar – 3 to 4 weeks
- Parmesan – 3 to 4 weeks
How to tell if your cheese has gone off
Once the cheese smells, has a darker colour, or mould is visible it has gone off.
The rule for soft cheese is as soon as there is mould visible it needs to be thrown away.
The higher water content in these cheeses mean microbes grow quickly, which can lead to salmonella and listeriosis if eaten.
However if there is visible mould on hard cheese, you can cut it away and still eat the cheese.
Experts say that this can be done if the mould on hard cheese is white, or blue/green.
But if you are seeing red or black mould you should throw the cheese out.
How to keep cheese fresh
All variants of cheese should be stored in a dark, cool and airy space.
If the cheese comes in a waxed paper, leave the paper on, since it allows the cheese to breathe.
However if there is no paper around the cheese you can cover it with…
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