- Refrigerate at 4°C immediately after purchase.
- Prevent drying and shrinkage by storing cheese in the cheese compartment or vegetable crisper of your refrigerator. Keep it separate from other foods with strong odours.
- To prevent the growth of mold, wipe semi-soft, firm and hard cheese with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Then wrap tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. If mold has already formed, simply cut off 2.5 cm (1 inch) from all sides—do not scrape it off. If mold has formed on soft or fresh cheese, or spread throughout a firm cheese, discard the cheese.
- The shelf life of cheeses varies according to type. A good guideline regarding the length of time they can be kept on hand is the best before date—particularly for fresh cheeses. Assuming proper wrapping and refrigeration, soft cheeses generally can be kept for up to one week; semi-soft cheese for up to 2 to 3 weeks; firm cheeses for 5 weeks or more; and hard cheeses for up to 10 months.
There may be times when you have excess cheese near the end of its shelf life. Read these cheese freezing tips for an alternative solution to preserving extra cheese.
