Cheese is made through a curdling process from the milk of different animals, including cows, goats and sheep. After the milk has turned into curds and whey, the naturally occurring bacteria and enzymes then work to properly turn the liquid into a solid mass that we know as cheese. Through this aging process, cheeses of hard, soft and semi-soft varieties are produced according to different temperatures, length of time and other factors. Because cheese contains an abundance of bacterias, it is highly susceptible to growing mold.
Cheese
Identification
The amount of time it takes for mold to grow on cheese depends on a few factors, including what kind of cheese, how hard the cheese is and how much moisture is present in the cheese. Generally, the harder a cheese is the longer it will be able to withstand mold growth. This is because of its low water content and pH level. Conversely, the softest of the cheese, including ricotta, tend to grow mold quickly if allowed to go bad.
Potential
In order for mold to grow the cheese must be introduced to spores. Mold is a type of fungus, along with mushrooms, and as such, reproduces through spores. Depending on whether or not a spore was allowed to slip into a particular package of cheese, the rate of time before mold is visible can be faster. That is why, even among cheeses of the same variety, one package may produce mold before the other. Additionally, mold thrives in warmer temperatures, and the warmer the environment around the cheese is, the faster mold will appear.
Warnings
Mold manifests in many different forms. The visible portions of the mold are the spores, and these can be colored streaks in green and blue, fuzzy white clumps, or even black. Black mold is actually highly toxic and if inhaled can cause almost immediate illness. Toxins, or mycotoxins, are not killed when cooked, and because they are air-born are known to particularly affect anyone with mold allergies, making them susceptible to certain lung diseases. It is always best to be aware of what type of mold is on your cheese, and if it is toxic or not.
Function
While mold is generally thought of as an indication that a particular food has gone bad or spoiled, some cheeses actually are made promoting the growth of mold on them. This is the case in Blue cheese, with the blue color being mold itself. This mold adds flavor to the cheese, and enhances its palette appeal. Stilton, Roquefort, and Gorgonzola cheeses are also example of varieties intended to have mold, and they are produced with specially cultured molds being fostered to grow and thrive.
Time Frame
As previously noted, it is the softest of the cheeses that are prone to growing mold in the shortest amounts of time. Cheese in this category can grow mold even in only a week if not kept refrigerated and their packages have been opened. Semi-soft cheeses include Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and Feta, and they can go bad
after about three weeks. The next variety is firm cheeses, such as Cheddar, Colby, and Swiss, and they can produce mold if left in a warmer climate after five weeks. Finally, the hard cheeses like Parmesan can withstand mold growth for up to ten months.
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