Eating bad or expired cheese is never a good idea.
A slice of cheese makes for the finishing touch on a sandwich or a snack to enjoy with crackers or a glass of wine. Just like dairy products such as milk and yogurt, cheese does go bad when not kept in the right environment as well as after a certain amount of time. Consuming any cheese that is no longer edible exposes you to bacteria that causes stomachaches and other unpleasant and unwanted stomach-related health issues.
Instructions
1. Look at the "Sell By" date found on the cheese's original packaging. Never eat cheese older than this date, even if the cheese looks and smells good.
2. Know if the cheese has been outside of a refrigerator or similar environment and for how long. The Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education "Mrs. Cookwell" Web page recommends against eating cheese that has been at room temperature for two hours or longer.
3. Look for any mold spots on the cheese. The "Mrs. Cookwell" Web page states that slicing the mold plus an inch radius around the moldy portion of hard cheese makes the food safe to eat. Throw away any soft or processed cheeses that have mold.
4. Smell the cheese. Throw all of it away if it smells moldy, unpleasant or different, as such odors are an indication that the cheese isn't edible.
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