What kind of cheese is stored. What is the shelf life of different types of cheese? Storage of soft cheeses

Factory packaging allows this cheese to be stored for about two months. In loose form, it can be only a month. The smoked version of the pigtail retains its properties for 3 months. It is recommended to store Chechil in the refrigerator. Adyghe, as well as Suluguni, is better stored in glass containers in cold conditions (at t from +2 to +6 ºС), freezing is contraindicated for it, as well as a long stay at room temperature. It will be able to lie in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, but its beneficial properties will disappear after a few days. In a vacuum, Adyghe cheese will be able to live longer - about a month. Smoked Adyghe cheese is stored much longer. Provided that the manufacturing technology is observed, the “exemplary” smoked cheese does not lose its qualities for up to two years.

Shelf life and storage of sliced ​​Russian cheese in the refrigerator

In order for hard cheese to last longer, the following conditions are needed:

• high air humidity - about 90%, so it is better to store it in plastic wrap, and not in paper;
• the air temperature should be from 3 to 10 degrees, the cheese does not like extreme cold;
• the storage place should be well ventilated, the neighborhood of strongly smelling products is undesirable.

Sometimes it is recommended that in order to keep hard cheese longer, put a piece of refined sugar or a few pasta in the package next to it. Semi-hard cheese is stored slightly less. It is better suited for sandwiches than hot dishes.

Therefore, it is important to consider, for example, the shelf life of lamber cheese, a very popular variety. Storing soft cheeses This product is best stored in its original packaging.

You can also place it in a resealable container, such as an enamel pot.

Rospotrebnadzor: sliced ​​cheese should be sold within 12 hours

Such a product can be stored in the freezer for only six months, after which it will dry out. back to contents How to determine the delay? Is it possible to determine that the retention period has expired? When the product is stale on the shelf, unscrupulous sellers try to disguise the expired product. If you have a suspicion, then it would be useful to carefully consider both the packaging and the product itself:

• There should be only one expiration date label on the package.
  If there are several of them, and they are glued one on top of the other, then you have an expired product;
• carefully examine the cheese: it should not have white bloom and mold;
• you can press your finger on a piece of cheese.

Shelf life of cheese of different varieties and storage features

If you want to know how to solve your particular problem, please use the online consultant form on the right or call the free consultation numbers: You can learn about the responsibility for the lack of a book of complaints and suggestions under the consumer protection law from our article. back to contents Legislation and GOST In the Russian Federation GOST was developed for cheese products and cheeses. Its principles were established by the Federal Law in 2002, and it was put into effect by the order of the Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology in 2006.

Shelf life of various types of cheese according to GOST

Processed cheeses at a temperature of 0 to + 4 can be stored for three months.

• Pasty processed cheeses are stored for up to 30 days.
• Sausage (processed) cheeses in a paraffin shell are stored for 2 months, in a polymer film - 4 months.
• Homemade (homemade) cheese is stored for only a few days.
• Chechil cheese ("pigtail") is stored for about two months, the smoked version - about three months.
• Curd cheeses in polymer containers can be stored for up to three months, an opened shell will reduce this period to three days.
Solid and semi-solid (packaged) are stored for 15 days at a temperature of +2 to +8 and at a humidity of 90%, but there are exceptions:

• Maasdam, Russian, Gouda, Lambert - up to 120 days;
• Parmesan - up to 6 months;
• Dutch - up to 120 days.

Paraffin coating keeps hard cheeses up to a month longer than polymer coating.

Shelf life of cheese

Cheese is one of the most common and loved by many food housewives. It is used as food on its own or as part of a wide variety of dishes.

And some housewives do not think that this fermented milk product requires special storage conditions. After all, if you do not take into account the shelf life of cheese, this will not only spoil its taste, but can also lead to poisoning.

Important

To avoid this, it is necessary to understand how to properly store this product, how long it can stay fresh and whether it is possible to increase the period of its safe use. Types of cheese This product is made from milk. Moreover, cow's milk, as well as sheep's or goat's milk can be used for this.

What you need to know about the shelf life and storage of cheese of different varieties?

Many stores violate SanPiN and indicate the terms incorrectly, thereby violating the law. Read more about timing inside. During the raids, I began to notice that in stores they indicate cut cheese and packaged there for a period of 1-6 months.
What's wrong. According to SanPiN, the term of packaged cheese is no more than 12 hours. If the cheese is not in its original packaging. As soon as it is cut off from the head, the terms change.

From SanPiN: According to paragraph 8.12 of SP 2.3.6.1066-01 "Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for trade organizations and the circulation of food raw materials and food products in them." The sale of products from opened consumer packages is carried out within one working day, but not more than 12 hours from the moment the package is opened, subject to storage conditions (temperature, humidity) and by virtue of clause

About the shelf life of packaged cheese

Pickled cheeses, however, like all others, are best purchased in such quantities that they can be eaten in 1-2 days, and it is preferable to store them in their usual humid environment - whey, brine or in sealed industrial packaging, preferably in a dark shelter at t not higher than +6 ºС. Cheeses are not stored in whey for a long time, but in saline solution - up to several months.
Processed Processed cheeses are no less in demand among consumers. The new dairy regulation defines them as a dairy product made by the method of "thermomechanical processing of cheese of one or more names and / or cottage cheese."

These are cheeses such as Adyghe, mascarpone, ricotta, mozzarella and others.

• Brine varieties ripen and are stored in brine. They can have different densities, but are usually very salty.

  The most famous pickled cheeses are feta cheese, suluguni, chechil.

• Processed have in their composition, in addition to cottage cheese and butter, various other components. It can be cream, vegetable fats, flavorings.
  To give this cheese a soft consistency, special melting salts are used. There are a lot of processed cheeses, for example: Druzhba, Yantar, Viola, Hochland and others.

What determines the shelf life of cheese This dairy product has special storage conditions. They largely depend on the type of cheese. But there are other factors to keep it fresh and avoid eating moldy or spoiled food.
Before buying it in a store, you need to know the features of this type of cheese. It is undesirable to eat a product whose expiration date is coming to an end.

To preserve cheese at home, it is very important to observe certain conditions of temperature, humidity and other parameters. Low temperatures are detrimental to this product. After all, cheese is alive.

Attention

And at high temperatures, it can deteriorate. High humidity leads to mold, and low humidity dries. The shelf life of packaged cheese is especially short: if it is cut into pieces, then it is suitable for food for no more than 3 days.

Shelf life of sliced ​​cheese 2018

The list of such goods (works) is approved by the Government of the Russian Federation.

• The service life of a product (work) can be calculated in units of time, as well as other units of measurement (kilometers, meters and other units of measurement based on the functional purpose of the product (result of work)). (as amended by Federal Law No. 212-FZ of December 17, 1999)
• For foodstuffs, perfumery and cosmetic products, medicines, household chemicals and other similar goods (works), the manufacturer (executor) is obliged to establish an expiration date - the period after which the goods (work) are considered unsuitable for their intended use.

How to store? But such conditions are not possible in city apartments, and therefore the cheese can become supercooled, overheated, dry out or “suffocate”:

1. To prevent packaged cheese from drying out, it is best to keep it wrapped in a damp cloth or cling film. You can lay it on a wooden board and cover with a lid.
2. When storing in the refrigerator, you need to choose the bottom shelf or even the shelf for fruits (usually it is the lowest), the temperature is kept there from about +4 to +8 degrees.

   
   Lower temperatures will simply spoil the flavor of the cheese.

3. Only dry cheeses can withstand high temperatures. Cheeses with a high percentage of moisture will spoil very quickly.
4. Cheese is a ready-to-eat product, but the aging process continues all the time, so there is no need to store the product in an airtight container.

Cheese is a product known to mankind for several centuries. Initially, it was available only to selected segments of the population. Time passed, cheese became more and more widespread, more and more new varieties of such a product appeared. Today there are over a hundred different types of cheese. So how do you properly store cheese so that it stays fresh longer?

Shelf life according to GOST

According to the GOST rules, the shelf life of cheese is one month. However, much depends on the type of cheese, and on the packaging in which it is stored. In retail chains, cheese must be sold within fifteen days.

Below is a list of the most popular types of this product with an indication of the expiration date.

• Cheese "Russian"— 120 days;
• cheese "Adyghe"- 30 days in a container made of polymeric materials and 75 days in a container made of glass;
• cheese "Pigtail"— 60 days;
• blue cheese- up to three months;
• processed cheese– 30 days;
• Dor blue cheese— from 2 to 3 months;
• Dutch cheese— 120 days;
• mascarpone cheese- up to 3 months (when opened package up to three days);
• brie cheese- up to 2 months;
• sulguni cheese"— 30 ​​days;
• "Gouda"— 120 days;
• homemade cheese- 20 days.

Closed packaging significantly increases the shelf life of cheese of any variety. If the cheese was packaged and cut directly in the store, then its shelf life will be only 72 hours.

Storing cheese in the refrigerator

Like all dairy products, cheese is best stored in the refrigerator. The optimum temperature for storing most varieties of this product is -2-4 degrees Celsius. A whole head of cheese can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two months. If the product is cut into small pieces, then its shelf life is significantly reduced and is only 15 days. Pasty cheeses keep in the refrigerator for up to one month, and sausages for up to three months. Brynza and suluguni are best stored in the warmest place in the refrigerator. They are stored up to 75 days.

After the expiration date

If the cheese has expired and the product begins to dry out, do not rush to throw it in the trash. The dried product can be grated and used for food, for example, for making pizza or macaroni and cheese. Of course, this does not apply to cheese, which has already become covered with mold of far from noble origin.

In order for cheese to stay fresh and tasty longer, it is necessary to store it properly.

Cheese is a very tasty salty product with a spicy taste. It is a "live" product, therefore, when storing it, it is important to follow certain recommendations. If the cheese is stored incorrectly, it will deteriorate before the expiration date - it will become covered with a white coating, begin to crumble and lose its taste. So how to store cheese so that it remains fresh, tasty and does not lose the beneficial biologically active substances present in its composition?

Basic rules for storing cheese in the refrigerator

• Cheese is very sensitive to temperature changes. Both low and high temperatures are detrimental to him. Therefore, be sure to ensure that the refrigerator compartment has a stable temperature. Relative humidity also affects the preservation of cheese. If it is too low, the cheese dries out, and if it is high, harmful microorganisms begin to actively multiply in the cheese, due to which the product deteriorates very quickly. The cheese feels best at a relative humidity of 90%. Under these criteria, the lower shelf of the refrigerator compartment or the compartment for fruits and vegetables is suitable.
• When sending cheese to the refrigerator, remove it from the cling film. She does not allow him to "breathe", as a result of which the cheese loses its taste properties. It is better to store cheese in parchment. Parchment allows the product to "breathe" and at the same time prevents it from drying out. If you store cheese in a plastic bag, then place a piece of refined sugar in it. The sugar will absorb excess moisture, thus keeping the cheese from mold. Vacuum containers are also suitable for storing cheese.
• Cheese should be stored separately from strong-smelling foods because it absorbs odors well. It is also not recommended to store different types of cheese nearby so that they do not interrupt each other's flavors.
• The rind on the cheese protects the product and helps retain its flavor, so only cut it off before eating the cheese. It is also worth noting that the cheese must be stored as a whole piece, and not cut into small pieces.
• Never cut cheese ahead of time. This should be done just before serving. A word of advice: the cheese will taste better if you lie down for an hour at room temperature before eating.

Can cheese be stored in the freezer?

Cheese in the freezer should be stored only in one case - if it is not going to be used in the near future. But only at the same time, one should not forget that after freezing, most types of cheese crumble and it is advisable to use them only for cooking. When placing the cheese in the freezer, wrap it in foil or parchment paper. It is important that there are no other products next to the cheese so that it does not absorb their smell. Cheese should be thawed a day before use in the refrigerator. By the way, the harder the cheese, the better it tolerates freezing. But soft pickled cheeses should not be frozen. It is also important to note that the cheese cannot be re-frozen, it is better to cut it into portions and use as needed.

How and how much to store different types of cheese

Hard and semi-hard cheese

Hard cheeses include Parmesan and Edam. The most famous representative of semi-hard cheese is Maasdam cheese. Cheeses of these varieties should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 1-7 degrees. In this case, they will remain fresh for 10-15 days. Throughout this period, make sure that mold does not form on the cheese. If it does appear, do not rush to throw away the product - cut off the cheese at the site of mold formation. The rest of the cheese should be consumed as soon as possible, it is advisable to use it for cooking. Hard and semi-hard cheeses can be stored in the freezer for 3 months.

Soft cheese

Soft cheese, unlike hard and semi-hard cheese, is much less stored in the refrigerator. Its shelf life after opening is 3 days at a temperature not exceeding 7 degrees, if it is in a sealed package. Without airtight containers, such cheese will quickly dry out and lose its taste. Soft cheeses: Mascarpone, Ricotta and others. Such cheese cannot be saved from mold.

pickled cheese

Pickled is the cheese that ripens in a special brine. Cheese of this type does not have a crust, and therefore it can only be stored either in the sealed package in which it was purchased, or in a weak solution of common salt. It can be laid out in an enameled pan and poured with a salt solution. The solution is prepared in the following proportions: 200 grams of salt per 1 liter of boiled water. The solution should completely cover the cheese. If a film appears on the brine, it should be replaced with a new one. Pickled cheese will stay fresh for several months if stored in an airtight container. When mold forms, this cheese, like soft cheese, must be thrown away. To remove excess salt from pickled cheese, it must be cut and soaked in milk for about 8-10 hours. Pickled cheeses are: "Suluguni", "Brynza", "Feta" and others.

Blue cheese

Cheese made with noble mold is best stored in the refrigerator in a purchased sealed package. The packaging can be replaced with a plastic or glass container, the main thing is that it closes tightly, otherwise the mold will ruin other products. At a temperature of 0 to 10 degrees cheese with mold is stored for about 7 days. The most famous blue cheese is Roquefort.

homemade cheese

Cheese prepared at home should be stored in the refrigerator from 1 to 7 degrees for no more than 3-4 days. To store homemade cheese, you need to use enamel or glassware. Plastic bags are not suitable for this. If you want to keep such cheese longer, then freeze it. It will keep fresh when frozen for several months.

Follow the specified terms and conditions of storage and enjoy the amazing taste and benefits of cheese.

Cheese occupies a special place among the variety of dairy products. Its role in cooking is huge - it acts as an ingredient in many dishes: casseroles, appetizers, salads, soups and others. But still, it often happens that you have to throw out a piece that has already been covered with mold.

Often, it is ignorance of the storage rules that leads to the fact that the product begins to dry, loses its attractive appearance, taste and aroma, and ultimately becomes simply unusable. Since cheese is a living product that is constantly evolving, ignorance of the rules of storage can provoke an acceleration of the process of its maturation.

As you know, everyone has different tastes, and this applies to cheeses as well. But lovers of this or that kind of cheese are united by the same question, how long to keep the cheese so that it does not deteriorate.

How long to keep cheese without mold

It's no secret that cheese is made from milk, and not always cow's. Goat and even sheep's milk can be used. This fact, as well as manufacturing methods, determine the following types of cheeses:

Hard - cheeses that have a structure of dense addition. Their term of being under pressure is about 6 months. There are no large holes in hard cheeses, they are usually small and inconspicuous. These are cheeses "Parmesan", "Edam";

Semi-hard - cheeses that combine the softness of the texture and the density of the structure. They can have holes of various sizes. An example of cheese is Maasdam;

Soft - cheeses that do not require additional processing during manufacture. They do not have a covering shell and taste characteristic of the whole variety. Each soft cheese can be easily distinguished by its aftertaste, such as mushroom or cream. The brightest representative of this species is Mascarpone;

Brine - cheeses that can fully ripen only if there is a salt solution. A well-known example is Suluguni cheese;

Processed - cheeses, which, in addition to butter and cottage cheese, also contain condensed milk, cream or other products. In order for the cheese to be fully cooked, melting salts are added before processing is completed;

Cheeses with mold - to create them, there is a special technology that allows you to produce food edible mold. Such mold is absolutely harmless to the human body, it can be of various colors: blue, green, red.

Each type of cheese can have, in addition to a different texture and taste, a different shelf life. It is necessary to carefully approach the question of how to store cheese so as not to inadvertently eat a missing or moldy product. Naturally, you need to store any cheese in a damp, cool place, that is, a refrigerator. The cling film or parchment in which the product must be stored will ideally protect the cheese from drying out and spoilage.

The best storage temperature for hard and soft cheeses is 10°C, so the space under the freezer is not suitable for them. It is better to place such cheeses away from the icy cold, for example, on a shelf in the refrigerator door.

How to store cheese: rules for storing hard and soft varieties

Compared to other types of cheese, hard cheeses retain their good appearance and taste much longer when they are in the refrigerator. However, its shelf life is also limited to 10 days, so you should not make large stocks in advance of such a product. Regularly check its crust for mold spots. The best conditions in which hard cheese will lie for the maximum number of days are:

Well ventilated place;

Air temperature from 3 to 10 °C;

Air humidity 90%.

To avoid the premature appearance of mold, you can put an ordinary cube of refined sugar in the cheese package. It is better to store hard cheese in plastic packaging or parchment, but not ordinary paper, in which it will simply be covered with a dry crust.

Not in the best way affect the state of such cheeses and constant shifting from shelf to shelf, the temperature difference is to blame.

Before cutting the cheese and serving it to the table, you need to prepare 1 hour in advance, having previously taken the dairy product out of the refrigerator. So he will be able to weather all the unpleasant odors he had previously absorbed from the refrigerator. In the case of the leftover sliced ​​cheese, it is better to do it simply - try to eat it. Because in the refrigerator, the inevitable fate of being covered with a dry crust and a further journey to the trash can awaits him.

Even sub-zero temperatures are not terrible for soft varieties of cheeses, but in such conditions their shelf life is significantly reduced to 3 days. Packaging contributes to the shelf life, it also protects the cheese from weathering and the formation of a dry crust. The ideal way to store soft cheese is to place it in a small enameled pan, but airtight packaging from the factory will also work.

If there are several types of cheeses, then they must be stored separately. This is very important as each cheese has its own unique flavor, aroma and ingredients. Mixing varieties can ruin even the freshest produce.

Sometimes certain types of cheese are rare guests in people's refrigerators, for example, for holidays or special occasions. It is impossible to determine by eye the optimal conditions for long-term storage. In this case, manufacturers will come to the rescue, who will indicate on the packaging both the appropriate temperature and the shelf life of the product.

How to keep cheese in the refrigerator longer: other varieties

Cheese deliberately produced with mold at home should be stored in commercial sealed packaging. The more it covers such cheese, the better for other products. So the mold, although it is food, will not be able to spread to other products and cause not the best emotions. Properly store blue cheese should be either in a glass or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, or in cling film that does not allow air to pass through.

Pickled cheeses got their name because of the way they are stored. You need to keep the dairy product in a weak solution of common salt. Cheese will be stored longer if placed in a glass jar or enamel pan.

Processed or homemade cheese is best stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, as are many other types. Storage in a plastic bag should be discarded, only glassware will make the shelf life as long as possible. Homemade cheese, which was made by hand, has a shorter shelf life than a factory product. Therefore, you need to eat it as quickly as possible, within 2-3 days.

How long to keep cheese: time control

The maximum period that can be allotted for the storage of a particular type of cheese always depends on the storage conditions, temperature in particular. If the air temperature drops below 3 °C, dairy products may spoil. This does not apply only to home-made cottage cheese, which is not even afraid of freezing, and soft cheeses that are designed for quick use. With frequent changes in temperature, humidity levels, there is a high probability of spoilage of the dairy product. To maximize the shelf life, you need to carefully monitor these indicators and the presence of cheese packaging. It should not lie on the shelf of the refrigerator without packaging.

If the household does not have enamelware for storing cheese, you can use an ordinary glass jar with a lid as a vacuum container.

If all the necessary conditions are preserved, hard cheeses can be stored for 10 days in the refrigerator, while all the rest, that is, soft, processed, brine, with mold, have a shelf life of no more than 3 days. There are some exceptions in the form of, for example, Brie, Camembert, Roquefort cheeses, which can lie in the refrigerator for 7 days if they are allowed to breathe every 2-3 days.

Useful tips on how to keep cheese in the fridge longer

Cheese can be stored in the refrigerator for as long as possible if:

Provide it with airtight packaging or vacuum container;

Keep the pickle type in a jar of milk or saline;

Place a cube of sugar in a saucepan or package where the cheese is located, and periodically replace it with a new one. This will eliminate excess moisture;

Store it in a single piece, bought at the store, and not cut it into many small pieces, as they will become weathered faster and their edges will become dry;

Do not use paper for storage, but replace it with foil or a special cheesecake for large volumes of cheese;

Do not contribute to constant temperature changes and store cheese on the side shelf of the door or the bottom shelf of the refrigerator;

Store each type of cheese separately from each other;

Place the cottage cheese in a glass or plastic container, close the lid tightly and send it to the freezer.

If for some reason it is impossible to use a refrigerator to store cheese, then this period can be extended without it. You just need to wrap a piece in a cloth soaked in salt water and hide it away from the sun. Hard cheeses will retain their properties for 7 days, the rest will last 2 days without compromising quality.

In fact, you do not need to be a cheese specialist and know a lot of intricacies in order to keep a dairy product fresh for a long time. The main rule is not to eat cheese, the expiration date indicated on the package is long gone.

Cheese is a product known to mankind for several centuries. Initially, it was available only to selected segments of the population.

Time passed, cheese became more and more widespread, more and more new varieties of such a product appeared. Today there are over a hundred different types of cheese. So how do you properly store cheese so that it stays fresh longer?

According to the GOST rules, the shelf life of cheese is one month. However, much depends on the type of cheese, and on the packaging in which it is stored. In retail chains, cheese must be sold within fifteen days.

Below is a list of the most popular types of this product with an indication of the expiration date.

• Cheese "Russian" - 120 days;
• cheese "Adyghe" - 30 days in a container made of polymeric materials and 75 days in a container made of glass;
• cheese "Pigtail" - 60 days;
• blue cheese - up to three months;
• processed cheese - 30 days;
• Dor Blue cheese - from 2 to 3 months;
• cheese "Dutch" - 120 days;
• cheese "Mascarpone" - up to 3 months (when the package is opened up to three days);
• Brie cheese - up to 2 months;
• Suluguni cheese - 30 days;
• "Gouda" - 120 days;
• homemade cheese - 20 days.

Closed packaging significantly increases the shelf life of cheese of any variety. If the cheese was packaged and cut directly in the store, then its shelf life will be only 72 hours.

Storing cheese in the refrigerator

Like all dairy products, cheese is best stored in the refrigerator.

The optimum temperature for storing most varieties of this product is -2-4 degrees Celsius. A whole head of cheese can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two months. If the product is cut into small pieces, then its shelf life is significantly reduced and is only 15 days.

Pasty cheeses keep in the refrigerator for up to one month, and sausages for up to three months. Brynza and suluguni are best stored in the warmest place in the refrigerator. They are stored up to 75 days.

After the expiration date

If the cheese has expired and the product begins to dry out, do not rush to throw it in the trash. The dried product can be grated and used for food, for example, for making pizza or macaroni and cheese. Of course, this does not apply to cheese, which has already become covered with mold of far from noble origin.

In order for cheese to stay fresh and tasty longer, it is necessary to store it properly.

• The ideal temperature for storing cheese is 6-8 degrees. It is undesirable to allow temperature fluctuations.
• If hard cheese becomes moldy after storage in the refrigerator, you just need to cut it off. You can eat this cheese. This does not apply to soft cheeses.
• It is unacceptable to store cheese in plastic packaging or cling film. After purchase, you should wrap the cheese in parchment or use glass containers for storage.

Cheese is a product that has become a familiar part of our lives: we eat it in sandwiches, add it to salads and soups, use it to make pizza. There are so many nutritional supplements and sauces based on pizza that you can’t count.

Cheese belongs to perishable products, so the rules for its storage are what every housewife who wants to keep it fresh longer needs to know.

If it is wrong to store cheese, pay little attention to it, then it can begin to dry out, become covered with plaque, mold, crumble, lose taste and aroma. If the cheese is natural, then it itself does not store for a long time, but before the expiration date it should be suitable for consumption. Follow all storage rules, make sure that the air temperature is the one at which you need to store this product, and then your cheese will remain fresh for the required time.

The main reasons why cheese spoils are the mismatch of air temperature or its frequent changes. Low temperatures cause the beneficial microorganisms inside the cheese to deteriorate and disappear.

Too high a temperature also does not benefit the cheese - bacteria may appear that do not benefit the human body. You should also control the humidity of the air. If the air is too humid, the cheese starts to disappear, and if the humidity is too low, it dries out.

How to store cheese

There is one rule that any housewife should adhere to - cheese is not cereal, you do not need to stock it up for a month in advance, especially since it is not stored for such a large amount of time. Buy it a little, consider how much cheese you can eat or use, and then you don’t have to worry at the last moment and look for a way to extend the life of your favorite product.

• The air temperature for storing cheese is 3-8 degrees.
• Air humidity - not higher than 90%.

An old grandmother's proven remedy - putting a sugar cube next to cheese covered with plastic wrap - still saves this product from premature spoilage. Proper storage of cheese is the use of ventilated rooms with a stable temperature. Avoid fluctuations, try to maintain a constant temperature at all times.

If you want to make cheese slices on the table, then worry about it in advance - take the cheese out of the refrigerator an hour before serving. It is not worth cutting the product in advance - the cheese cut into thin slices quickly winds up and dries.

• Hard cheeses are stored longer - up to 10 days at home. But they must be constantly checked for mold.
• If the cheese is soft, then its life expectancy is no more than 3 days, and for processed cheese, especially when it is opened, it is even less - 2 days maximum.

Special pickled cheeses are best stored in salted water and whey. If you are going to eat cheese, do not pour boiling water over it, otherwise it will become soft, begin to melt and lose its unusual taste and useful properties. It is better to place pickled cheese in cool boiled water.

The shelf life of cheese depends entirely on the temperature at which it is stored. So for soft cheese, a temperature of -2 degrees is enough so as not to spoil for a whole month, but if this temperature rises, the period will be halved.

Soft cheeses are not as sensitive to cold as hard ones.

They can be stored at sub-zero temperatures, from this their shelf life only increases. Rare varieties of blue cheese do not tolerate cold; they are stored exclusively in heat and in pre-prepared sealed packaging. This is due to the fact that mold, which is considered chic and luxury in special varieties of cheese, unfortunately, does not ennoble other products in the refrigerator.

How to store cheese in the refrigerator

You can store cheese in the refrigerator for 1 week, following 2 basic rules:

1. Put the cheese on a plate and cover with a plastic cap
2. We wrap the cheese in foil or parchment and punch small holes, for example with a toothpick.

If there is nothing but a package. Put some macaroni in the cheese bag. They will pick up moisture.

How to store cheese so that it does not dry out

Dip a clean washcloth in salt water and wring it out very carefully.

Spread and wrap in her cheese. In this form, we put it in the refrigerator. Don't put it in a plastic bag or it will get moldy.

Rub the grater with vegetable oil before you start grating the cheese on it. So it will not stick together and the grater will be easier to wash.

Residents of private houses have a great opportunity to store cheese in large quantities, because they have various closets, cellars, undergrounds, pantries and other cool places for storage. Residents of urban apartments, unfortunately, are not endowed with such privileges, and the refrigerator is the best place to store cheese.

Few people know, but cheese, like fruits, vegetables, sausages and meats, has its own place in the refrigerator. It is worth recalling that the temperature should be optimal - 3-8 degrees, and humidity - 90%.

Prohibited places for storing cheese are the upper shelves and the side section. It is ideal to store cheese on the bottom shelf or in the fruit and vegetable compartment. These two places usually maintain exactly the conditions needed to keep the cheese fresh for as long as possible.

Despite the fact that modern refrigerators are equipped with special odor elimination systems, cheese is a product that absorbs odors from nearby foods in the blink of an eye. To prevent this from happening, do not keep the cheese open. Wrap it carefully in foil, put it in a plastic or glass container - this way you will protect it from exposure to other fragrant products.

• Remember: storing cheese wrapped in paper is strictly prohibited!
• Important: the larger the pieces of cheese, the longer they are stored!

How to store cheese in the freezer

A large piece that cannot be used quickly should be grated and placed in a new clean bag in the freezer for longer storage.

Leading culinary specialists of the world are convinced that storing cheese in the freezer is blasphemy, and putting it there simply means spoiling it.

But, at the same time, no one says that frozen cheese is harmful. It just does not tolerate heat well, after defrosting it crumbles and loses its spicy aroma. You can store cheese in the freezer only if you have a lot of it, you are afraid that the expiration date will expire and you will have to throw it away.

Frozen cheese is not suitable for slicing at the table, as it will crumble immediately. If you freeze a soft cheese, it will be watery and not as tasty, lose its unique "viscosity" and is now suitable only as a pizza seasoning.

How to store homemade cheese

If you make your own cheese, do not make too much of it, as such a product only lasts a few days. A package for storing homemade cheese is categorically not suitable - the dishes must be glass or enameled.

Homemade cheese can be frozen because it is quite soft and contains a lot of natural products. You can store homemade cheese in the freezer for several months.

At home - cheese must be stored in the refrigerator in order for it to live up to its expiration date. The maximum storage temperature for cheese in the refrigerator is three maximum 9°C. If stored at higher temperatures, processes are activated that accelerate its ripening and it will reach its highest degree of maturity before the expiration date indicated on the package.

• If you bought sliced ​​cheese from the store, don't overpack it. Each time it needs to be packed in a new film.
• Before use, cheese must be taken out of the refrigerator an hour for every 100 gr. stay at room temperature.
• If you store different cheeses side by side without packaging in the refrigerator, they will exchange bacteria and this will damage the properties of the cheese. Cheeses of different varieties must be wrapped separately.
• Cheese should be bought for a week's consumption.
• The shelf life of cheese is related to how we handle it. There are 1,000,000 bacteria in the air.

Cheese shelf life

The shelf life of cheese depends on its variety, storage temperature, air humidity and the product itself. With proper preparation and storage conditions, cheese can be stored for six months or more.

• The shelf life of hard cheeses can be from 30 days to 1 year. Hard cheese heads are stored at a temperature of -4 to 0 degrees, with an air humidity of at least 85%.
• Pickled cheeses are stored at a temperature not exceeding +8 degrees only in salt solution from 25 to 74 days.
• The shelf life of sausage cheese is 3 months, sweet cheese curds - up to 30 days.
• In a home refrigerator, cheese is stored in cling film for up to 10 days.

Cheeses have long occupied an honorable place in the human diet, and the culinary potential of this product is inexhaustible.

It is ubiquitous, and from the abundance of assortment on the counter, you can get confused - which variety or type to give preference to.

Any buyer seeks to buy fresh, high-quality and tasty cheese.

To find one, you need to “get acquainted” with the desired product, and it is advisable to do this at the selection stage, so as not to miscalculate the purchase.

When choosing cheese on the counter, first of all, you should pay attention to how fresh it is and how much time it has left to “live”, i.e. for its expiration date.

What does the law say?

Large enterprises of the modern dairy industry, private cheese dairies are working at full strength to satisfy consumer demand and saturate this market segment with their products.

The state stands guard over the interests of the consumer and controls the production of dairy products, thus acting as a guarantor of the entry of quality products to the market.

According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, the production process of cheeses is regulated by Federal Law No. 88-FZ, which established the technical regulations for the production, storage, transportation and sale of cheese and other dairy products.

The Law of the Russian Federation "On the Protection of Consumer Rights" imposes an obligation on cheese producers (manufacturers) to set an expiration date for this type of product and place this information for the buyer in an appropriate way.

Under the expiration date, the legislator understands the period after which the goods are considered unsuitable for their intended use (clause 4, article 5 of the Law).

Article 5 of the Consumer Rights Protection Law. The rights and obligations of the manufacturer (executor, seller) in the field of establishing the service life, shelf life of the goods (work), as well as the warranty period for the goods (work)

1. For a product (work) intended for long-term use, the manufacturer (executor) has the right to establish a service life - the period during which the manufacturer (executor) undertakes to provide the consumer with the opportunity to use the product (work) for its intended purpose and be liable for significant shortcomings arising from its fault.
2. The manufacturer (executor) is obliged to establish the service life of a durable product (work), including components (parts, assemblies, assemblies), which, after a certain period, may pose a danger to the life, health of the consumer, cause harm to his property or the environment. The list of such goods (works) is approved by the Government of the Russian Federation.
3. The service life of a product (work) can be calculated in units of time, as well as other units of measurement (kilometers, meters and other units of measurement based on the functional purpose of the product (result of work)). (as amended by Federal Law No. 212-FZ of December 17, 1999)
4. For foodstuffs, perfumery and cosmetic products, medicines, household chemicals and other similar goods (works), the manufacturer (executor) is obliged to establish an expiration date - the period after which the goods (work) are considered unsuitable for their intended use. The list of such goods (works) is approved by the Government of the Russian Federation.
5. Sale of goods (performance of work) after the expiration of the established expiration date, as well as goods (performance of work) for which an expiration date should be set, but it is not set, is prohibited. (as amended by Federal Law No. 212-FZ of December 17, 1999)
6. The manufacturer (executor) has the right to establish a warranty period for the product (work) - the period during which, in the event of a defect in the product (work), the manufacturer (executor, seller) is obliged to satisfy the consumer's requirements established by Articles 18 and 29 of this Law.
7. The seller has the right to establish a warranty period for the goods, if it is not established by the manufacturer. If the warranty period is set by the manufacturer, the seller is entitled to establish a longer warranty period than the warranty period set by the manufacturer. (Clause 7 as amended by the Federal Law of December 17, 1999 N 212-FZ)

If the buyer, for any reason, nevertheless purchased an expired product in the store, or the purchased cheese turned out to be of poor quality, you can demand from the store at your discretion:

• exchange expired cheese for goods with a normal shelf life;
• replace a low-quality product with an analogue from another manufacturer, and, if necessary, recalculate the amount paid for it;
• return the money for the purchase;
• to make a discount.

The seller is obliged to accept the buyer's claim with the relevant requirements, regardless of whether the receipt for the purchased goods is kept. To avoid unpleasant surprises with expired cheese, you can determine its expiration date:

• according to the factory label, which contains the relevant information;
• by plastic or casein numbers pressed into the body of the cheese;
• according to the information printed on the head of cheese with a stamp with indelible paint or laser and other marking methods.

This information is indicated on bulk products.

The expiration dates of packaged cheese are mainly placed on stickers with a barcode glued to the product. In addition to the date of manufacture and expiration date, such cheeses must also indicate the date of their packaging.

Often on the label of cheese you can find an indication not of the expiration date, but of the shelf life. For this type of food product, the expiration date and shelf life are the same.

It is necessary to sell the product from the moment it is packaged no later than 20 days, while storage should take place at t not higher than +10 ° C and a relative humidity limit of 80%.

Cheese is a unique, living product, it is constantly in the process of development, but it gets to the trade counter already ripe, and sometimes even overripe.

This, first of all, is reflected in its taste - the cheese becomes too sharp, and sometimes acquires a rancid taste.

In addition, this delicacy "likes" to absorb odors, so it is better to store it separately, wrapped in foil or, in extreme cases, in cling film.

The terms and conditions of storage for different types of cheese are different, but absolutely all of them suffer from temperature fluctuations and changes in relative humidity.

Storage temperature

The optimal temperature regime during storage of most varieties and types of cheese ranges from 4-8°C.

At lower temperatures and during freezing, the cheese loses its shape or begins to crumble, delaminate. In addition, its specific taste properties are distorted.

At temperatures above 10-15°C, the consistency (structure) and taste of the dairy product changes, and the progressive growth of pathogenic microorganisms begins.

Humidity indicators

For cheeses, it is recommended to maintain humidity in the keeping rooms at the level of 85-92%. Extremes of indicators negatively affect the quality of cheese. So, very low humidity leads to drying, and high humidity contributes to the deterioration of taste, rotting and spoilage.

Terms by type

The following factors influence the determination of the shelf life of cheese:

• composition of the product;
• humidity of the product itself;
• the amount of salt it contains;
• the presence or absence of a shell on it.

The most popular among cheeses are its hard and semi-hard types: Parmesan, Cheddar, Dutch, Gouda, Russian, Kostroma, Poshekhonsky, Latvian, Maasdam, Oltermani, King Arthur, Dor Blue, etc.

In the retail trade network, the sale of packaged hard and semi-hard cheeses is 15 days. At home, they should be in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf at a temperature of +4 to +8 ºС and a humidity of 90%.

However, each type of cheese has its own, individual, storage characteristics. Maasdam and Russian, for example, at t from +2 to +6 ºС at a humidity of 85% can lie up to 120 days, and Parmesan even more - up to six months (well-made - in general, up to 10 years).

Dutch cheese loves temperatures from +6 to +8 ºС and air humidity of 90%. Under such conditions, he lives in the package up to 120 days.

Dor Blue is also stored for about three months, but it likes a low temperature - from 0 to + 2ºС, and you need to keep it wrapped away from other products so that the noble mold of this delicacy does not get over to them. As for other types of hard cheeses, their shelf life varies and can be up to six months.

At home, hard / semi-hard types of cheeses are not recommended to be stored in plastic packaging, since this packaging blocks their ability to breathe and they deteriorate from this: various types of mold, putrefactive bacteria, and yeast appear on the surface.

The presence of yeast in cheese is indicated by the appearance of pink spots, and the presence of white inclusions indicates the emergence of putrefactive microflora in the product. Therefore, it is better to use parchment or foil for storage.

In addition, hard / semi-hard types of cheeses, as well as cottage cheese, will be perfectly preserved in a closed enamel or glass dish with a piece of sugar that will absorb excess moisture.

It is impossible to leave these cheeses open for a long time, as this makes them spoil faster.

The maximum shelf life in the refrigerator for packaged hard / semi-hard cheese brought from the store is 8 days. In the absence of a refrigerator, cheese wrapped in a cloth soaked in salt water can be stored for up to 5 days in a cool place, preferably dark.

Paraffin-coated hard/semi-hard cheeses have a shelf life of 1 month longer than their resin-wrapped counterparts. In the latter, the packaging often does not adhere tightly to the cheese, which contributes to the formation of mold on its surface. The shelf life of cheeses of this type is reduced by another month if they are placed in refrigerators, where t is from 0 to +4 ºС.

No less popular among the people are pickled cheeses - Suluguni, Brynza, Feta, Mozzarella, Chanakh, Adygei Tushinsky, Lori, Chechil, etc. The expiration dates of these cheeses vary, and often the packaging (container) in which it falls is the reason for differences in setting expiration dates. finished product.

The container can be made of polymeric materials, in which case the shelf life will be 30 days. In glassware, cheeses filled with brine (marinade) are stored longer - 75 days. At home, pickled cheeses are best removed from polymer containers and stored in cold conditions.

Suluguni, for example, after purchase, it is advisable to immediately put it in a container or glass jar and store it in brine at t no more than +6 ºС. The life of this product can be extended if it is placed in fresh milk for a while, and then poured with a prepared solution of water and salt (400 gr.

salt per 1 liter. boiled water at room temperature), stand for a day and replace it with a more gentle solution (200 g of salt per 1 liter of water).

One of the varieties of Suluguni is Chechil cheese, or in the common people “pigtail” cheese. It is braided into a pigtail at the final stage of industrial production. Factory packaging allows this cheese to be stored for about two months.

In loose form, it can be only a month. The smoked version of the pigtail retains its properties for 3 months. It is recommended to store Chechil in the refrigerator.

Adyghe, as well as Suluguni, is better stored in glass containers in cold conditions (at t from +2 to +6 ºС), freezing is contraindicated for it, as well as a long stay at room temperature.

It will be able to lie in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, but its beneficial properties will disappear after a few days.

In a vacuum, Adyghe cheese will be able to live longer - about a month. Smoked Adyghe cheese is stored much longer. Provided that the manufacturing technology is observed, the “exemplary” smoked cheese does not lose its qualities for up to two years.

Pickled cheeses, however, like all others, are best purchased in such quantities that they can be eaten in 1-2 days, and it is preferable to store them in their usual humid environment - whey, brine or in sealed industrial packaging, preferably in a dark shelter at t not higher than +6 ºС. Cheeses are not stored in whey for a long time, but in saline solution - up to several months.

Fused

Processed cheeses are no less in demand among consumers. The new dairy regulation defines them as a dairy product made by the method of "thermomechanical processing of cheese of one or more names and / or cottage cheese."

The raw materials for the processed product are fast-ripening or mature hard / semi-hard cheeses with expiration dates, defective packaging, as well as cheeses intended for melting, brine products, milk, cottage cheese with different fat content, biologically active additives, etc.

The shelf life of processed cheeses directly depends on the quality of those who leave it, but, as a rule, all of them are stored for a long time.

Processed cheeses are not divided by grade, but there are many types of this dairy product. Processed sliced ​​cheeses include: Nevsky, Soviet, Russian, Dutch, Kostroma, Slivochny, Table, Baltic, etc. The name of the cheese, as a rule, is explained by the presence of the corresponding source cheese introduced into it.

At home, they are stored at a temperature of 0 to +4 ºС and a humidity of 85% for no more than three months from the date of packaging, and chunky cheese with smoked meats for 30 days.

Another type of processed cheese is processed sausage cheese.

Representatives of this species are: Smoked sausage, Tourist, Special, etc.

The shelf life of this dairy product depends on the casing in which they are placed.

It can be paraffinic and polymeric.

Paraffin is the most environmentally friendly, but the shelf life in it is not long - no more than two months. In a polymer film, cheese is stored twice as long, since this material has strength and high protective insulating properties.

It is necessary to store sausage cheeses only in the refrigerator at a low temperature - no more than +4 ºС.

Another type of processed cheese is spreadable cheese. On the counter they can be found with the following names: Hochland (creamy or assorted), Viola, President, Friendship, Amber, Wave, Moscow, etc.

They are stored at t up to +4 ºС and humidity not higher than 85% for up to 30 days, and after opening the package - no more than 5 days. Hochland cream cheese is stored longer - 6 months at t from +2 to +8 ºС.

Processed for dinner - another type of processed cheese.

In retail chains, they are presented under the names: “With onions for soup”; "With mushrooms for soup"; "With porcini mushrooms for soup." Their expiration dates are unified - up to 4 months. Conditions of detention: temperature - from 0 to +4 ºС at a humidity of 85%.

Processed canned cheeses are cheeses with a fat content of 50%:

• sterilized;
• pasteurized;
• pasteurized with ham;
• in powder.

A distinctive feature of this dairy product is a long shelf life (unopened) - up to two years. The temperature range of storage is quite large - from 0 to +20 ºС.