Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Food Safety Is It Safe To Freeze Cheese

Certain types of cheese can be frozen, though others can't.


By freezing foods, you prolong the storage life of those foods. If you've bought more cheese than you can eat at once or made more cheese dip than needed for a party, you can freeze many types of cheese and thaw it to eat later. Though the quality of the cheese in terms of texture may change, these cheeses will still be safe to eat within three months of being frozen. Other cheeses, such as ricotta, should not be frozen.


Freezing Different Types of Cheeses








Freeze hard and semihard cheeses like Swiss, cheddar and mozzarella without problems. Soft cheeses like ricotta and cottage cheese will not freeze or thaw well because the cream will separate and change in texture. It may even curdle. If the cheese is hidden inside a casserole or dessert, such changes will not be noticeable. Use your own judgment when it comes to items like cream cheese or cheese dip. The higher the fat content of the cheese, the better it will freeze and thaw. A full-fat cheese dip, for example, will be less likely to separate and crumble when thawing out.


Preparation


Wrap your cheese with plastic wrap, then place it inside airtight containers or tightly sealed freezer bags. It should be completely airtight.


Timing


Generally, three months is the maximum for keeping cheese in the freezer before it might become unsafe. Softer cheeses will stay safe for about two months in the freezer.


Thawing


Thaw the cheese in your refrigerator, not at room temperature. Depending on the cheese you froze, it may be a little crumbly, but the taste will be the same and it will be completely safe to eat as long as you kept the cheese in an airtight container or freezer bag.

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