How to properly store cheese. Shelf life of various types of cheese according to GOST

Keeping cheese in the refrigerator is the most convenient and reliable way keep it fresh both after opening the package and with its integrity. The shelf life of cheese varies, because there are many varieties of this wonderful delicacy, and each has its own characteristics. In general, it belongs to the category of perishable products, since it is made from dairy raw materials. The minimum shelf life of cheese is two to three days, and the maximum can be calculated in years.

General conditions and terms

According to SanPiN, the following have the shortest shelf life:

• soft and brine varieties without ripening - 5 days;
• cream cheese - 5 days;
• homemade product can be stored for only three days.

It is also important to note that the requirements of SanPiN require the mandatory affixing of the date of manufacture and the shelf life of cheese on its factory packaging. If the product is produced without a label, then the information is applied with resistant paint in the form of a print (directly on the surface) or small numbers made of plastic, "drowned" in it.

Hard cheeses are the best stored, and we are talking about expensive elite varieties, for example, high-quality Italian hard parmesan.

After opening the package or cutting the cheese circle, in retail trade, each of the varieties must be sold within a strictly defined period of time. On average, it is 20 days if:

• temperature does not exceed +10 °C,
• relative humidity corresponds to 80%.

Repackaging and repackaging of a dairy product in order to establish new expiration dates is unacceptable, even if ideal conditions storage.

Note: the concepts of "shelf life" and "shelf life" for cheeses mean the same thing. After the specified time, the product is no longer considered fit for use.

How to store purchased cheese?

Storing cheese in a refrigerator requires maintaining a constant temperature regime of 4 to 8 °C above zero. Permissible humidity ranges from 80 to 90%. It is better to place the product on the lowest shelf of the refrigeration unit or in the fresh fruit and vegetable compartment.

1. Enameled, ceramic, glass or wooden utensils with a lid. It is good to put a couple of pieces of refined sugar or a few things inside pasta(horns, spirals, etc.); they will absorb excess moisture and prevent condensation, which leads to quick spoilage of the product and the appearance of a musty or sour smell.
2. Foil or cling film. It is important to wrap as tightly as possible with any of these materials a piece cut by the seller in the store, making sure that its surface is dry.
3. Parchment paper and cellophane bag. The latter will not allow the product to dry out, and the paper wrapper will remove excess moisture.
4. It is correct to store cheese in a clean cotton rag soaked in salt water and carefully wrung out. This method makes it possible to store cheeses without a refrigerator, but at the same time, a cool, dark and dry place should be chosen.

About an hour before serving, it is better to remove the product from the refrigerator and open the container so that it “breathes” when room temperature. This will make it possible to fully reveal its taste, because, stored in the cold, packaged or sliced ​​​​cheese temporarily loses its unique savory notes and aroma.

Subtleties in the storage of different varieties

The types of the product differ from each other in density (hard cheese, semi-hard, soft), composition, fat content, salt content and the quality of the shell or its absence. Any cheese can and should be stored in the refrigerator. It is important to take into account the variety and its specific properties.

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For the storage of semi-hard and hard cheeses, GOST provides for a period of up to four months, provided that the integrity of the factory packaging is not violated. For example:

• cheese varieties "Maasdam" or "Russian" feel good at a relative humidity of 85% and a temperature of 2 to 6 degrees;
• storage of "Dutch" cheese in the refrigerator requires 6-8 degrees of heat and humidity of 90%;
• it is possible to store Parmesan cheese, which is in the middle price segment, for up to six months, and the most expensive original - for 10 years.

Cheese in a paraffin shell is stored in the refrigerator for 30 days longer than its counterpart in a package made of polymer material.

Unlike packaged cheese, a cut piece should be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than 8 days when it comes to eating it fresh. When this period has expired, but the product does not have an unpleasant odor and visible signs of spoilage, the cheese can be used in the preparation of dishes that require heat treatment (pizzas, lasagna, rich pastries, sauces or any casseroles).

The shelf life of cheese in brine is 2.5 months if the container is glass, and only 30 days if it is polymer packaging. quality products varieties "Mozzarella", "Feta", "Cheese", as well as "Suluguni" and "Adyghe" are usually packaged in glass during production.

Fragrant and exquisite "Dor Blue", "Camembert", "Roquefort" and "Brie" at zero thermometer will be preserved for a month. In conditions up to +10 °C, the maximum shelf life is 10 days.

To properly store any moldy cheese, it is important to isolate it from other foods to prevent the spread of the pungent edible fungus.

Fused species (including "sausage"), in paraffin will last for two months, and in the film - all four, at a temperature regime of 0 to +4 ° C.

Cottage cheese varieties in the factory sealed package remain fresh for 3 months, and after opening it, the cheese should be consumed within the next 3 days.

Known as “pigtail”, Chechil cheese remains edible for two months, and when smoked, it will remain fresh on the refrigerator shelf for up to 90 days.

So that the product does not lose its taste and simply does not deteriorate, you should use the following tips:

• store cheese in one large piece;
• cut in the amount necessary for one meal, and use its excess in the near future; rub slightly dried slices on a grater into a plate with hot pasta or salad;
• keep the container closed so that the cheese does not absorb the extraneous smells of the "neighbors" on the shelf in the refrigerator;
• do not lower the temperature recommended for storage (this will spoil the taste of the product, and only the hardest varieties can tolerate increased t);
• do not leave the cheese in a plastic bag, this will lead to the appearance of mold (ignoble origin) and make the product hazardous to health.

Freezing

AT freezer cheese can be stored for up to six months. It should be borne in mind that only hard and semi-hard varieties can be frozen. Still, it is worth noting that freezing is an extreme measure that is taken if it is not possible to use the product before the expiration date, because its taste properties do not change for the better. You will most likely not want to use this cheese in its pure form.

However, if necessary, you can freeze the cheese like this:

• one piece, tightly wrapped in foil or parchment and cling film,
• in the form of slices, which are used in the preparation of hot sandwiches (put in a container, sprinkled with flour),
• grate and pour into glass jar(in this case, the cheese chips also need to be mixed with a small amount of flour and shaken several times during the freezing process).

One of the most commonly paired foods with cheese is butter. It is not consumed in large volumes and is often stored at very low temperatures. , you can find out in a separate article about the storage of this product.

How do you know if a product is damaged?

Determining the delay is easy. If during a visual inspection you find white and pink spots, traces of mold, and the surface has an unpleasant texture or is covered with sticky mucus, then it's time to dispose of the cheese. A bad smell (if it is not inherent in this variety) also indicates spoilage of the product.

Important: in many respects, how much cheese can be stored depends on the stability of the conditions; even in the refrigerator, you should not shift it from shelf to shelf and from one container to another. This "live" product does not like even the slightest changes in temperature and humidity.

Cheese is one of the most popular products that set off a drink like wine. Not everyone has a vinotheque, but lovers try to keep a few bottles of this in stock. noble drink for different occasions. How to arrange, read in a detailed article specially prepared for you.

Modern cooking delights us with abundance interesting products. Parmesan is one of those, because without it you can’t cook the famous Caesar salad or delicious dressing to traditional Italian pasta. This product is expensive, and if a piece remains after cooking, then the question of how to store parmesan becomes relevant. This cheese is not used daily for making sandwiches or omelets, so the storage conditions for a noble product should be chosen very carefully.

How to Store Parmesan Cheese

Modern manufacturers have long learned to produce this cheese in portioned pieces, from 50 grams to a whole head. That is why the question of how to store Parmesan cheese at home can take you by surprise if you have not found a piece of the size you need on sale.

In the refrigerator, this product can be stored for a long time, if certain conditions and rules are observed.

The ideal conditions for storing parmesan in the refrigerator would be a vacuum bag, such are found in professional kitchens and have become common at home.

Often on sale you can see Parmesan cheese, packed in 20-50 grams portions in vacuum bags. It is best to store parmesan bought in advance at home in this form, packed in portions.

Pieces of parmesan after cutting can also be stored in the refrigerator by wrapping them in parchment paper. This method also comes in handy if you have grated too much cheese and not all of it is spent on salads. Make a bag out of paper, like for seeds, and store the cheese on the top shelf of the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

After buying this noble cheese, parmesan should be pulled out of its packaging and placed in parchment paper, and foil on top. By doing this, you will prevent the Parmesan enzymes from breaking down.

Keep the cheese no longer than the prescribed period, namely 6-8 months, after opening it. Write the date of opening of the package on the foil or parchment paper in which you will wrap it. You can stick a sticker.

Grated cheese cannot be stored for a long time, so try to grate it just as much as necessary and do this before serving the dish. If, nevertheless, you overdid it, then do not be discouraged, you can store grated parmesan for about a week.

Can Parmesan be stored in the freezer?

This question is often asked by hostesses on the forums: is it possible to store parmesan in the freezer? We answer - you can! This product has already been processed, and therefore one freezing and thawing will not affect its taste.

In the freezer, it can be stored at temperatures from -20 to -15 ° C for up to 3 months.

How to store parmesan in the freezer? If you didn’t use all the cheese right away, you can divide it into portions and place it in sealed bags, then put it in the freezer. So often it is stored not only at home, but also in the homeland of parmesan - in Italy.

Cheese occupies a special place among dairy products. Every housewife will confirm its important role in cooking - for many dishes it is used as an indispensable ingredient. But even despite this, probably, every person at least once in his life threw out a spoiled piece of this important component from the refrigerator, because. it's already covered in mold.

Very often, people, due to ignorance of the rules for storing a product, make it unsuitable, because. it loses its taste and external qualities, the aroma becomes unpleasant, and the product itself dries up. Cheese is a living product, so if you do not know how to properly store it in the refrigerator, this can lead to the fact that the process of its ripening will accelerate several times.

Everyone has their own taste for all food, and cheese is no exception in this case, as it has a huge variety of flavors. Only one question unites everyone - how to keep the cheese fresh in the refrigerator longer?

Types of cheese

Before you figure out how to keep cheese in your home refrigerator for a long time, let's talk about what types of cheeses exist. All people know that this product is made from milk, while it is worth noting that cow milk is not always used. There are cheeses made from goat and even sheep. Based on this fact and the options for making cheese, several categories of varieties can be defined:

Options for long-term storage of cheese without the appearance of mold on it

Cheese differs not only in its consistency, but also in its shelf life. Therefore, when purchasing this product, you should definitely take the issue of its storage with all care, so that later you do not use the product that has accidentally deteriorated. To save every cheese there is general rule- the place in which it is located must be cool and slightly damp. The refrigerator fits perfectly. It is best to store the product in cling film or parchment, then the possibility of its drying out is excluded.

As for soft and hard cheeses, the ideal temperature for them is about ten degrees. This means that you should not use the freezer as storage. It is best to place such varieties on the refrigerator door, as they will be as far away from severe frost as possible.

Storage rules for hard cheeses

How to keep Dutch cheese longer in the refrigerator? If we talk about hard varieties, it can be noted that these particular options, unlike others, are stored much longer when they are in the refrigerator. But even their shelf life is no more than ten days, therefore, if a person is sure that he will not be able to fully use all the cheese during this time, then it is not worth making huge stocks of it. Be sure to check the peel for the presence or absence of mold spots every time before using the product.

• The temperature is three to ten degrees.
• Humidity is about ninety percent.
• The place must be well ventilated.

In order to prevent premature mold from appearing on the cheese, you can put a cube of refined sugar in the package. So that it does not become covered with a dry film, it is best to pack the cheese not in ordinary paper, but in cling film or parchment paper.

It is not worth shifting cheese from one shelf to another, because. Temperature changes have a very negative effect on him.

Before serving the cheese on the table, it is best to get it out of the refrigerator an hour before. This must be done in order for him to be able to vent out of himself all the extra odors that he managed to absorb during his stay in the cold store. If the sliced ​​​​cheese remains, then it is best to try to finish it, because. if you put it back in the refrigerator, it will certainly become covered with a dry crust, which means it will become spoiled and go to the trash can.

Rules for storing soft cheeses

How to keep cheese in the refrigerator fresh for a long time? For soft cheeses, it is worth noting that even sub-zero temperatures are not terrible. The only thing worth considering is that under such conditions, its shelf life is significantly reduced and is about three days. In addition to the temperature regime, the duration of storage is also affected by packaging, which should protect the cheese from chapping and dry rind. Most the best option to store such a product is enamel pan small size, but if there is none, then you can leave it in sealed packaging from the manufacturer.

Other varieties how to store

We continue to talk about how to keep cheese in the refrigerator for a long time. It is best to keep a product with mold after purchase and opening in the packaging from the manufacturer. At the same time, it should be noted that the better this package covers the cheese, the better it is for other food products in the refrigerator. If the packaging is damaged, then plastic dishes with a tight-fitting lid or cling film are perfect.

Brine cheeses are best stored in a weak solution. table salt. Its shelf life will increase if put in an enamel pan or a glass jar.

Like many other types of cheese, processed cheese will be perfectly stored on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator. For this option, a plastic bag is contraindicated. As long as possible, this species can be preserved only in glassware.

How to store several cheeses at once in the refrigerator

If a person has purchased several varieties of cheese at once, then he must know that each variety should be stored separately from the other, since each cheese has its own unique taste and aroma, and if all varieties are mixed together and stored under the same regime, then even the most fresh food are likely to deteriorate.

You should also look at the shelf life of each cheese from manufacturers, who most often indicate them on the packaging.

Shelf life control

How to keep cheese in the refrigerator longer? The shelf life of cheese always depends on its conditions, including temperature. If the temperature becomes less than three degrees, then this milk product deteriorate in the near future. Also, the likelihood of a quick expiration of the product's shelf life increases if the temperature and humidity levels are regularly changed for it. In no case is it allowed to store cheese on the shelf of the refrigerator without packaging.

Hard cheeses, if properly stored, can remain in the refrigerator for ten days, unlike all other varieties, the shelf life of which reaches no more than three days.

Due to improper storage, cheeses begin to deteriorate quickly, a characteristic light coating appears on them, the product crumbles and, of course, loses its taste. For production quality cheese not only cow's milk is used, but also goat's, sheep's. This leads to a variety of tastes and textures, the product is hard, soft, brine, melted and moldy. Consider storage options for each type.

hard cheese

This kind of product is distinguished by its density and the absence of holes. As a rule, hard cheese is in a compressed state for a period of six months or more, due to which it receives a similar consistency. The most common cheeses are Parmesan and Edam.

1. When stored properly, hard cheeses retain their flavor and texture longer than others. appearance. However, if the refrigerator is old, you should not stock up on the product for a long period. In order for the cheese to lie for 7-10 days (the maximum storage period in the refrigerator), it is necessary to constantly check it for the presence of neoplasms.
2. To avoid mold on the cheese rind, place a few cubes of cane sugar in the package. In cases where you prefer to transfer the dairy product to a different package, give preference to parchment paper.
3. The optimal temperature regime for storing hard cheeses is considered to be an indicator of 4-11 degrees, while the humidity should be at least 85%. You should not shift cheese from one compartment of the refrigerator to another, because due to sudden changes, the product will begin to deteriorate 1.5 times faster.
4. Before you start eating, take the cheese out of the refrigerator, unpack and leave for 1 hour so that all extraneous odors disappear. If you haven't eaten all the cheese after slicing it, wrap it in plastic, poke a few holes in it and refrigerate. In this form, the product will not wind up in the next 6-8 hours.

In the manufacture of such cheeses, careful processing is not carried out, as a result of which products without shells can be found on store shelves. Bright representatives of soft cheeses are considered to be Tofu, Philadelphia, Mascapone, Mozzarella. In terms of taste, the products vary greatly, they are creamy, mushroom, with the addition of bacon.

1. An important feature of the storage of soft cheeses is considered to be a low temperature regime. The product can lie in the refrigerator at sub-zero temperatures for about 3 days.
2. Like other types, this kind of cheese must be carefully packaged before being sent to the refrigerator. Great option a plastic sealed container or an enameled container tightly closed with a lid will serve.
3. Do not store soft cheese with other types of dairy products, otherwise it will absorb the smell and begin to deteriorate at an incredible rate.

pickled cheese

The entire process of making these cheeses involves the use of table salt. The product has a pronounced salty taste, a slightly crumbly texture and a layered texture. The most common pickled cheeses: Brynza, Adygeisky, Suluguni, Feta.

1. For proper storage of pickled cheeses, it is necessary to use a solution of low concentration table salt. Put the cheese in a glass or enamel container, fill the product with brine, close the lid and refrigerate.
2. Before serving pickled cheese to the table, taste it: if the product is salty, soak in boiled cool water or milk. Most people pour hot water over cheese, as a result of which it becomes viscous, and also loses useful elements and vitamins.
3. Another option for storing pickled cheeses is considered to be freezing. Oddly enough, but the product retains its beneficial qualities if you do not keep it in the freezer for more than 2 days. Before use, you just need to pull out the cheese and let it “thaw” at room temperature.

Dairy product of this kind is not subjected to heat treatment, cheese makers make sure that the mold forms naturally and is healthy for consumption. Neoplasms can be of various shades: from blue to red.

1. Molded cheeses should be stored exclusively in sealed original packaging, which should fit snugly against the product.
2. Do not put cheese in an open container, food mold can "crawl" onto other food in the refrigerator, due to which it will be spoiled. In addition, in an open container, the product emits an unpleasant odor.
3. Do not store moldy cheese for more than 5 days. To preserve the product throughout the entire period, you can transfer it to a sealed plastic container, and then wrap it with a film (if the original packaging is unsuitable for use).

processed cheese

The product includes butter, cottage cheese, heavy cream, milk. At the end of processing, the so-called melters are added to the ingredients - salts, which give the cheese such a consistency.

1. Dressed cheese is stored in a closed plastic or glass container. If possible, it should be placed in the drawer of the refrigerator for eggs or vegetables / fruits. To avoid spoilage, do not place the product close to the walls.
2. Do not store cheese in transparent plastic packaging; choose dark bags if you wish. This method is rarely used, but it does not belong to the category of prohibited ones.
3. If a processed cheese prepared at home, it must be consumed in the first two days. In cases with a store product, the shelf life reaches 6-8 days.
4. If possible, keep processed cheese in large portions in vacuum packaging, such a move will allow the product to lie in its original state for more than 3 weeks.

As a rule, cheeses become unusable due to incorrectly set temperature conditions or sharp jumps, as well as violations of the humidity level. Based on the type of cheese, select optimal conditions, do not delay with the use.

Video: how to store cheese so that it does not dry out