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Oct 14, 2024

Store cheese in paper, not plastic bags in fridge: doctor

This is a Gouda tip. A UK surgeon is sharing how to best store cheese in the refrigerator — turns out, you may have been doing it wrong this whole time. Dr. Karan Rangarajan, also known as Dr. Karan

This is a Gouda tip.

A UK surgeon is sharing how to best store cheese in the refrigerator — turns out, you may have been doing it wrong this whole time. Dr. Karan Rangarajan, also known as Dr. Karan Rajan, recommends wrapping the dairy delight in cheese storage paper, parchment paper or wax paper and not placing it on its own in a plastic bag.

“Once you finish gobbling your cheese like a hungry little rat, try and avoid putting your cheese in a plastic bag — especially softer cheeses, which have a higher water content, like havarti, mozzarella or Gouda,” Rangarajan advised in a Monday TikTok with more than 119,000 views.

“This is because the moisture can get trapped by the plastic bag and cover the cheese surface, and this provides a breeding ground for bacteria and mold — and not the tasty kind,” he explained.

The Mayo Clinic warns that bacteria like listeria, brucella, salmonella and E. coli can grow along with mold on cheese.

The US Department of Agriculture says that soft cheeses — like cottage cheese, ricotta or brie — can be stored in the refrigerator for one week. Unfortunately, they don’t freeze well.

But hard cheeses — such as cheddar, Swiss and Parmesan — can be frozen for six months. They can also be refrigerated for six months if the package has not been opened. Once it’s opened, the cheese can last three to four weeks in the fridge, according to the USDA.

Rangarajan says it’s generally OK to store harder cheeses in a plastic bag.

“Harder cheeses like Parmigiano generally have less water content, so it’s not such a big deal if they are stored in plastic bags,” he said. “For most cheeses, plastic bags fail to provide the right balance of moisture and airflow, making them less than adequate homes for your lovely cheese.”

Rangarajan said if you must use a plastic bag, wrap the cheese in paper beforehand.

Cheese storage! @ConVino Board

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His minutelong TikTok was inspired by a post from ConVino Board, a cheese and charcuterie brand that often shares brie-lliant hacks for keeping cheese fresh.

“Plastic baggies or saran wrap … will suffocate your cheese and mold it within days,” Nicolle Laviolette, the owner and creator of ConVino Board, said in a 2022 TikTok. “Cheese is expensive, so make sure that you’re storing it properly in your fridge.”