Cheddar cheese one year after sell-by date-- edible? (Need answer fast)

Cafe Society
1

I have a package of Black Diamond hard white cheddar cheese that’s been tightly wrapped in plastic AND in a ziplock bag in my refrigerator crisper drawer (NOT freezer) for the past year. It was shoved to the back; I forgot about it. Packed in May 2016; sell-by date in June 2016. It’s a slab about 1/4 inch thick and the size of a small index card. It has one small dot (about the size of a sesame seed) of mold right in the middle. No other visible mold. If I cut out the mold, is this edible? Is it likely to sicken/kill anyone? I’m wanting to serve it to my book club tonight (in 3.5 hours). I like these people and would just as soon not do them any harm.

Thanks.

2

Mold is not supposed to spread deeply into hard cheese. According to Mayo Clinic site you should cut off 1 inch around and below the mold.

3

As long as it tastes fine, you should be fine. I’ve had cheddars over 10 years old. Remove the mold, and have a small piece to make sure you still like the flavor (which can sharpen or change as it ages).

4

If you like your friends so much, why are you only bringing, like, two ounces of cheese? :dubious:

5

I’m not *bringing *it. I’m serving it. At my house. I have other cheese, plenty of other cheese. And plenty of other food. And wine. I found this one in the back of the fridge and wondered if I could use it. Black Diamond is a great cheddar cheese, when it’s good. Smart ass. No [del]soup[/del] cheese for you!

Thanks, y’all.

6

:smiley:

7

Was the package ever opened?

8

It’s edible. AFAIK, even the mold itself shouldn’t be dangerous. In general, again AFAIK, mold is gross but not a big cause of food poisoning. As you know, a bunch of cheeses are grown so as to be full of mold.

I don’t think you need to cut that much off, either. Just cut out that dot and shave the surface of the whole thing a bit if it’s discolored or dry.

Should be absolutely fine!

9

No.

10

Throw it away. Why take the chance? If pressed, you can run out to the store and by a fresh one for a couple bucks. On the off-chance one of your guests DID get ill - how would you feel? Toss it.

11

Question: How do you tell when bleu cheese goes bad? :slight_smile:

12

When it starts moving under its own steam.

13

It kind of liquifies.

14

I remember one night, in the days when I used to drink, I found am old block of cheddar, not even good quality, but it was stuffed way in the fridge and probably about a year past its prime, only had a small portion covered in mold, I cut all of that off and ate the whole block! I was fine then. The thing I always check for is any slimey-ness. None present, it should be fine.

15

If it’s labeled “bleu cheese” it is bad. That’s what makes it bleu cheese!

And I say this as someone who loves the stuff. But, it’s bad, which is what makes it good.

16

If it puts on a kilt and starts running around with a claymore, then it’s gone bad.

17

It’s not a soft cheese, so there’s no reason to do so.

18

I have seen some cheeses get hard “crystals” instead of mold. Those seem harder to find & cut out.

19

Hey! I love cheese crystals!

20

When it comes to cheddars, the older the better. I’ve had them as old as 30 years and they were wonderful. I’ve one sample in my fridge now pushing 19. And those protein crystals are delicious!

Tossing an aged cheese due to a passed “best by” date makes no sense. Toss it if the packaging has been compromised and it’s all moldy, but only if you can’t salvage the core. Otherwise, enjoy the added benefits of an elder cheese.