How Long Does Parmesan Last in the Fridge?

There are many different cheese types, each requiring other storage techniques. Listed below are some tips for storing various kinds of parmesan. They will help you maximize the shelf life of your favourite cheese and enjoy it for years. You can even use these tips to store parmesan that you’ve already opened! We hope this information was helpful.

What is Parmesan?

The Italian hard, granular cheese Parmesan, also known as Parmigiano-Reggiano, is made from cow’s milk and must be aged for at least a year. It is called for the provinces of Parma and Reggio Emilia, two of the regions that produce it.

How Long does Parmesan Last in the Fridge?

The shelf life of parmesan cheese in the refrigerator ranges from 7-9 months for unopened cheese to 6 weeks for cheese that has been opened. Always examine food for deterioration before eating.

An open package often keeps its best quality for up to two months when kept in the fridge. Although grated Parmesan deteriorates more quickly, it will still be edible for at least a week after the expiration date stated on the label. Shredded or grated cheese that has been refrigerated and left open should be consumed within seven days.

Parmesan cheese that hasn’t been opened or packed is good for up to seven months, and however, a remarkably fresh block of parmesan will keep for at least six months after being opened. To be sure you don’t have to throw something out if it has begun to spoil, look at the “use by” date on the packaging.

In the Freezer

Fortunately, parmesan cheese freezes incredibly well and can keep for up to a year or more.

Just make sure you start with a high-quality wedge of parmesan cheese. Wedge parmesan cheese keeps quality and flavor very well after freezing.

What are the Six Ways to Determine if Parmesan Cheese has become Bad?

1. Mold

When it comes to hard cheeses, like Parmesan, the presence of mold patches is frequently innocuous. When you find them, use a knife to scrape the damaged surface and a little more than an inch (2.5 cm) around them. Keep the knife away from the mold to avoid contaminating the remainder of the piece.

Everything else is entirely safe to eat. Unfortunately, after mold has covered most of your cheese, you must discard it. Mold can contaminate more than you can see when it completely covers shredded cheese. In this situation, the wisest course of action is to throw away the remaining cheese.

2. Color

Many individuals, like myself, love eating the tough parmesan rind since it is usually darker than the remainder of the block. You should avoid eating this cheese if it turns dark yellow or greyish.

Parmesan cheese is always white or light beige. It should be treated as rotten whenever it turns yellow or dark beige.

3. Smell

When the Parmesan cheese is past its prime, you will be able to smell it and know it is no longer edible. You can identify the rotten, moldy, sour, or strong smell depending on the cause.

4. Texture

Checking the shredded Parmesan’s texture is the easiest way to tell if it has soured. When the package becomes damp and spongy to the touch, it is time to throw it away.

Though it won’t impact the quality, grated Parmesan can dry out with time. However, melting it in the meal you’ve made will make it taste better.

5. Taste

Taste If you detect that your cheese has a rancid or sour flavor, you should discard it immediately.

6. Clumping

Parmesan will eventually clump if you keep it in a humid environment for an extended period. Uncooked rice grains can be added to the jar of grated cheese to help absorb extra moisture and prevent clumping.

When you opt to remove the cheese, it may be difficult to remove the rice from the jar if you do so. The ideal solution is to add the rice to the cheese jar after pouring it into the gauze bag.

How can Parmesan Cheese be Stored to Keep it  Longer?

Although parmesan has a long shelf life, storing it can impact how well it keeps. Let’s look at your choices:

  • Parmesan blocks should be kept in the refrigerator at a temperature of 4 to 46 F (4 to 8 C). It would help if you adequately wrapped it because it needs to breathe, including:
  • Large cheese chunks that weigh at least 2 to 3 pounds (0.9 to 1.4 kg) should be wrapped in a damp paper towel. After that, cover it with a sheet of metal foil.
  • Wrap cheese in parchment paper to preserve its flavor and texture. Add some plastic wrap or foil to further insulate the package from absorbing odors from the refrigerator.
  • Before placing the cheese in the refrigerator, wrap it with wax or butcher paper.
  • Place the block in a zipper-lock bag, but remove any air before putting the bag in the refrigerator.
  • It is feasible to wrap the cheese in plastic wrap, but the flavor will become notably sour.
  • Regardless of the method, be sure to periodically replace the wrapping if you plan to store the cheese for more than 5 to 7 days.

Wedge: Always keep it chilled, between 39 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit (4 and 8 degrees Celsius). Please choose the appropriate wrapping material to keep Parmesan from drying out and give it room to breathe. Avoid plastic when wrapping it; use cheese paper, parchment paper, or breathable plastic wrap.

Grated: Whenever feasible, keep this Parmesan in its original container. Never keep something out of the fridge for longer than two hours. When storing cheese that you have personally grated, could you place it in a resealable container?

Freezer

To extend the shelf life of Parmesan, it can be stored in the freezer and kept for a few months if you place it in an airtight container or freezer bag and carefully seal it. Always be cautious about getting rid of extra air as much as you can.

Process Reviving

Parmesan occasionally changes color when exposed to excessive air, and the rind begins to thicken and it may turn white. If it occurs to you, try to revive the cheese by wrapping it in cheesecloth that has been soaked in water.

It should stay in the fridge covered in plastic wrap, getting moist. Afterward, wrap it in fresh plastic and keep it in the refrigerator as usual.

What are the Dangers of Eating an Old Parmesan Cheese?

Fortunately, adequately stored Parmesan will remain fresh for a long time. Once it starts to rot, you can tell. Typically, the taste, colour, and smell of anything give away any problems immediately.

You can chop off any mold you see and continue eating the cheese without becoming sick. Spores won’t go very far from the surface of the Parmesan, in contrast to other foods.

Remember that there are several molds that you could find on your cheese. While some are risk-free, others could result in allergic responses or respiratory issues. You will get sick if you consume cheese with a mold releasing harmful mycotoxins.

Molds can also harbor dangerous pathogens, such as:

  • Coli
  • Salmonella
  • Listeria
  • Brucella

In this situation, this product will result in food poisoning, which will be followed by nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Name Some Cheese that is Considered Healthy

Parmesan

A firm, aged cheese with a salty, nutty flavor, parmesan has a gritty texture. It is produced with raw, unpasteurized cow’s milk aged for at least a year to kill off unwanted bacteria and develop a rich flavor.

The finished product is nutrient-rich. Contains one ounce (28 grams) of parmesan cheese.

  • 110 calories
  • 10 grams of protein
  • 7 grams of fat
  • 3 grams of carbs
  • 330 mg of sodium, or 14% of the RDI
  • 34 percent of the RDI for calcium

Additionally, a 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of phosphorus provides about 30% of the RDI.

Parmesan may improve bone health since it is high in calcium and phosphorus, two nutrients essential for bone development.

Higher dietary calcium and phosphorus intakes were found to be significantly related to improved bone mass in specific body parts, including the femur, the longest bone in the human body, in one research of about 5,000 healthy Korean adults.

Finally, because Parmesan has matured for a very long time, it has a shallow lactose content and is typically well-tolerated by lactose intolerant people.

Pasta and pizza can both be topped with grated Parmesan. Additionally, you can spread slices of it on a cheese board with fruit and nuts or sprinkle it on eggs.

Mozzarella

Soft, white cheese with high moisture content is mozzarella. It is often produced using Italian cow or buffalo milk and has Italian origins.

Compared to most other cheeses, mozzarella has fewer calories and sodium. Full-fat mozzarella weighs 28 grams or one ounce, and it contains:

  • 85 calories
  • 6 grams of protein
  • 6 grams of fat
  • 1 gram of carbs
  • Sodium: 176 mg, or 7% of the recommended daily allowance (RDI)
  • 14 percent of the RDI for calcium

Additionally, probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus fermentum strains are present in mozzarella.

Studies on both humans and animals suggest that these probiotics may enhance gut health, boost immunity, and reduce inflammation in the body.

Drinking 7 ounces (200 ml) of fermented dairy with Lactobacillus fermentum daily for three months dramatically decreased the length of respiratory infections, according to one research of 1,072 older persons.

As a result, probiotic-rich dairy products like mozzarella may boost your immune system and aid in the battle against illnesses. However, more study is required.

Mozzarella may be used in various recipes and is lovely in the Caprese salad, which is created with fresh tomatoes, basil, and balsamic vinegar.

Blue Cheese

Using cultures from the mold Penicillium, blue cheese is created from cow, goat, or sheep’s milk.

Typically, it is white with veins and blue or grey dots. Blue cheese has a distinct flavor and aroma because of the mold used to make it.

In comparison to most other cheeses, blue cheese has more excellent calcium. Whole-milk blue cheese, in one ounce (28 grams), contains:

  • 100 calories
  • 6 grams of protein
  • 8 grams of fat
  • 1 gram of carbs
  • 380 mg of sodium, or 16% of the RDI
  • 33 percent of the RDI for calcium

Including blue cheese in your diet may help prevent bone problems because it is high in calcium, a nutrient required for healthy bones.

Adequate calcium intake is associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis, making bones brittle and weak.

Burgers, pizzas, salads with spinach, almonds, and apples or pears taste fantastic when topped with blue cheese.

Conclusion

Parmesan cheese has a reasonably long shelf life if kept in the refrigerator unopened. It is OK to use after its best before date, and it will still be fresh a few weeks after the date has passed. Unopened cheese can last anywhere from 7 to 9 months. Check the label for the expiration date to determine the maximum shelf life of your parmesan. You can also store it at 39 to 46oF.

However, it’s essential to remember that parmesan cheese has an expiration date. Once the date has passed, it can still be edible, though its freshness and quality will start to diminish. So, even if your parmesan doesn’t look or smell as good as it once did, you’re better off chucking it than risking it.