The cheese must be removed immediately when it's past its expiration date. If feta cheese has not been properly stored, it could be infected with the bacteria listeria monocytogenes. This can cause food poisoning and result in symptoms like nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach cramps.
Feta cheese has a shelf life that's longer than a couple of months and sometimes even more than a year, but it doesn't last forever. Even if you store it in its original packaging or submerge it in brine, its quality will gradually degrade to the point it's no good to eat.
Feta cheese has a distinct sour smell that can be mildly acidic. While some may find it unpleasant, it doesn't mean it has spoiled and is generally safe to eat. However, a strong vinegar-like odor may indicate it is no longer suitable for consumption. When unsure, follow the Use By date.
Soft cheeses—which include anything from a crumbled cheese such as feta to ricotta to even cottage cheese or chèvre—must be tossed out if there is any trace of mold—no exceptions. The reason? The mold often contaminates more than what's visible to the eye.
Mold generally can't penetrate far into hard and semisoft cheeses, such as cheddar, colby, Parmesan and Swiss. So you can cut away the moldy part and eat the rest of the cheese. Cut off at least 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) around and below the moldy spot.
Leftover feta cheese blocks and crumbled feta last 5 to 7 days if sealed tightly and refrigerated. But if you submerge the feta block or crumbles in brine, they stay good for about a month. If you need even more time, you can freeze leftover feta cheese.
If you don't keep it in an airtight container, feta will quickly dry out in the fridge. While it might still be edible health-wise, it won't taste like much. Because of its high moisture content, feta cheese is prone to growing mold. One of the most obvious signs of spoilage is fuzzy green specks on it.
+ Why has my feta gone slimy in the brine? This can be due to two factors. Either the brine solution has a lower calcium level than the feta, leeching calcium out of the cheese, causing it to become slimy, or the cheese acidity is higher than that of the brine again, leeching calcium from the cheese.
This is usually due to the bit of calcium that leeches from the cheese. If the cheese becomes “melty” or slimy, it could be that the ph balance is off. If you catch it in time, before your Feta is too “melty,” just rinse it and place in olive oil, instead.
Dissolve 2 tsp. salt in 1 cup water in an airtight container, then submerge the cheese in the water. The feta must be completely covered, so make more brine if you don't have enough. Seal the container and refrigerate it.
Once you get home, goat cheese will keep in the fridge, tightly sealed, for 2 to 3 weeks. Store soft or semi-soft cheese in a resealable plastic container. For semi-hard cheeses, wrap in parchment or wax paper and then in foil or plastic wrap to prevent from drying out.
Feta cheese has a salty, tangy, sharp, and creamy texture and taste. The flavor is similar to other sheep milk cheeses but has a more distinctively sour edge.
Properly stored, an opened package of feta cheese crumbles will last for about 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator. Once the package is opened, consume or freeze the feta cheese crumbles within the time shown for refrigeration, even if the "Best By," "Best if Used By," or "Use By" date has not yet been reached.
Pink mold on cheese is caused by several different types of bacteria, fungi and yeasts. These organisms thrive in moist environments with high levels of salt, sugar or fat and low oxygen content. The most common type of pink mold on cheese is Penicillium caseicolum, which produces a white to light pink fuzzy growth.
They're most likely calcium lactate crystals, also known as “cheese crystals.” They are completely safe to eat, and usually signify that a cheese is flavorful and well-aged.
If you see white on your cheese, don't just throw it away. Touch the white stuff to see if it's hard or soft. If it's soft, it's probably mold (and you can just cut it off of a firm cheese). If it's hard, it's a precious little colony of crystals, and you have hit the cheese jackpot.
Black or gray mold is less desirable, and you should cut away more of it to remove any cheese that might be impacted. Any moldy cheese that smells of ammonia or is both moldy and wet should be discarded.
Feta is a brined cheese (it is placed in a brine solution) that is made either only from sheep's milk or a combination of sheep and goat milk. It is aged in the brine minimally 2 months, but the good feta will be aged 12 months. Feta is a cheese that is a Protected Designation of Origin product (P.D.O.)
Unopened feta cheese blocks can last on the fridge for at least 3 months past their label date. Unopened feta crumbles stay good for a week after their use By date. Leftover feta blocks and crumbles without brine will only stay good for a maximum of seven days.
Yes, you can freeze feta cheese for up to 3 months. When freezing feta, you should wrap individual blocks in cling film, which can be bagged and then stored in the freezer.
Most likely, you'll be okay.” However, in certain cases, the mold found on spoiled food could be dangerous, so if you suddenly develop symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea, an elevated temperature or diarrhea, you should immediately seek medical help.
Still, if you know you ate something moldy and you develop “prolonged” nausea and vomiting, Detwiler recommends seeing your doctor. “They might prescribe medicine to induce vomiting or diarrhea to help flush out your system,” he says. So, the next time you spot moldy food in your home, it's really best to toss it out.
More often than not, you will not notice any issues after discovering that you took a bite of some moldy Munster. (Learn more about moldy food.) Eating a small amount of moldy cheese will probably not cause health problems for most people. As soon as you realize the cheese is moldy, throw it out.