Expired Cheese

[vision]

The local supermarket has a sale on mozzarella, but the package says use by 12/1.

Why would this date be so soon? Doesn't cheese store pretty much indefinitely if in the right conditions?

 

[frosty]

You can keep cheese UNOPENED past the expiration date.  Hard cheese is better to keep and you can even cut off the mold and still use it.  On soft cheese it needs to be consumed very shortly after opening.  For soft cheese when in doubt, throw it out. Especially if anyone in the family have health issues.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Vision,the date has before 12-1, IMHO,I"get it and smoke soon,this also helps preservr the cheese and you can hold it longer.

 

[SmokinAl]

Even if you have mold growing on the cheese all you have to do is cut it off.

 

[scarbelly]

Even if you have mold growing on the cheese all you have to do is cut it off.

You can keep cheese a long time past the "expiration" date.  Mold will only grow if the cheese is exposed to air. Cheese shops use a knife dipped in vinegar and water to clean mold. They then scrape the cheese after dipping again into the vinegar / water solution and back fill the holes.