People with cheese in their fridge have been advised to utilise a common household item to keep it fresher for longer. When cheese gets exposed to air, a tough layer can form on top due to its high moisture content, which is tricky to cut through. Wrapping it in things like plastic too tightly can also create a breeding ground for bacteria and mould due to the humidity, so it can be difficult to work out the proper storage method.
However, a Yarra Valley Cheese expert has now revealed the secret to preserving your cheese’s quality. They said: “Don’t use cling wrap. This makes cheese sweat. Don’t wrap the cheese back up in the paper or wrap it came in. It needs a fresh, clean environment so as not to deteriorate.”
To keep your cheese’s texture and flavour intact, it’s essential to allow it to breathe, which means avoiding plastic at all costs. Plastic seals in moisture and suffocates the cheese, making it gooey and potentially mouldy.
The answer is to wrap cheese in baking paper.
The cheese expert advised: “Most cheese should be wrapped in baking paper or waxed cheese paper (if you can locate it) inside a sealed plastic container lined with dampened paper towel or cloth to control humidity and stop the cheeses from drying out.”
Wrapping cheese in baking paper allows air circulation and moisture retention to extend its shelf life better than the original packaging.
To stop firmer cheeses from becoming too dry, it is crucial to tightly wrap or even double wrap them. Strong blue cheeses also need tight wrapping, whereas soft or washed rind varieties should be loosely covered.
Once wrapped, cheeses should be stored in a lidded container to stop your fridge from smelling.
Marinated cheeses like mozzarella and creamy types such as brie should be kept in their brine or oil packaging for best storage.
Soft or marinated cheeses should also be kept at the back or the lower part of the refrigerator, where temperatures are lowest.
