Is my cheese safe to eat [duplicate]

I left 2 blocks of cheese from a deli sit in the car overnight, car was hot inside. I put in fridge right away when found. Sharp and Baby Swiss. Is it ok to eat?

food-safety

Best Answer

I'm going to turn my comment into a perhaps cynical answer…

The answer is somewhere between "cheese never goes off" and "cheese is off when you buy it".

Just eat it.

Cheese is made in 'sterile' conditions, but is a product of "allowing food to go bad" in itself.
It used to be milk… but someone intentionally made it "go off".
Once made, depending on type & maturity, it can sit in a room [in traditional methodology at ambient temperature] for over a year without "going off" any further. The flavour develops, the soft initial mixture eventually goes either softer in the middle & gets gooey, or reduces so the salt crystallises, depending on type & storage. [Think aged brie vs. aged cheddar.]
You can actually buy cheese that contains live maggots. It's a delicacy.*

In the time between buying it & putting it in the fridge, not a lot more is going to happen to it to make it suddenly become a deadly poison.

*The 'techincal' definition of 'delicacy' is any foodstuff that makes tourists squirm, whilst the locals watch them eat something they claim to eat every day, but actually only really to 'prove' to the tourists
that they eat it every day, by taking a small bite, if pressed, then claiming it's delicious ;)

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How do you know if the cheese is spoiled?

If you notice anything slimy on the surface or bloating in the package, it may be time to discard it. Moulds are also a good way to determine if the cheese is fresh or stale. It is natural for the cheese to grow moulds, therefore, do not discard it if you notice moulds on the surface.

What happens if you accidentally eat old cheese?

It could taste bad or you might get an upset stomach. In-between scenario: You could have a moderate allergic reaction, contract a foodborne illness, or have respiratory issues. Worst-case scenario: You could be hospitalized, put on dialysis, or even die.

Is it safe to eat cheese with white mold?

With white, fuzzy mold, tinged with green, the flavor effect is minimal and the mold can be safely cut away without incident. Black or gray mold is less desirable, and you should cut away more of it to remove any cheese that might be impacted.

How do you know if cheddar cheese is bad?

Cheddar cheese that is going bad typically will develop a very hard texture, will darken in color, will develop a strong smell and mold may appear; see instructions above for how to handle mold on a chunk of cheddar cheese.

Why Don't You Get Sick When Eating Moldy Cheese

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Engin Akyurt, Pixabay, Daniel Reche, Klaus Nielsen