The Simple Reason Why You’ve Been Storing Your Cheese Wrong

Have you found that no matter how well you seal plastic food bags, cheese always tends to go off inside of them very quickly?

Yes, me too. I find myself reaching for the cheese a couple of days later, only to see that it’s suddenly inedible.

Well, it’s not because we haven’t sealed them effectively, according to one medical expert. It’s much more simple than that and in part comes down to the types of cheese we’re having. 

Dr Karan Rajan explained in a recent TikTok video that if you’ve been wrapping your cheese in food bags, you’ve been setting yourself up for failure. 

How to properly store cheese

So if, like me, you thought that most foods could be refrigerated in the same way, this will be a cold awakening. (Sorry.)

Dr Rajan explained: “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.”

These include Havati, Mozzarella, and Gouda.

He said: “This is because moisture can get trapped in the plastic bag and cover the cheese surface. This provides a breeding ground for bacteria and mould — and not the tasty kind.”

Instead, Dr Rajan recommends using cheese paper, which actually is a thing, yes. Alternatively, parchment paper is a good choice, too.

If you are still keen to use plastic bags, Dr Rajan recommends first wrapping the cheese in wax, parchment or cheese paper before placing it inside of the bag. 

Fortunately, harder cheeses like Parmigiano can withstand plastic bags no problem.

He did also point out that you could just eat the food very quickly, ‘for science, of course’ and to reduce food waste.

Of course.