According to author and registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo, we want to be careful when it comes to mold. “Eating the wrong type of mold can cause allergic reactions or respiratory problems,” Rizzo toldEat This, Not That!“Some molds produce mycotoxins, which can make you really sick.” Salmonella and E.coli are two examples of the types of bacterial infections you can contract from eating potentially harmful molds (via theMayo Clinic).
Experts recommend that you throw out any food items that are moldy, but cheese is an exception. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, certain types of cheese are still A-OK to keep. Hard cheeses are safe to eat as long as there is no mold involved in their cheesemaking process. However, soft cheeses and internal ripened cheeses should be thrown out as they can contain harmful bacteria.
As per The Cheese Grotto, a good rule of thumb to stick to is that fresh cheese should be kept for no longer than a week, externally ripened cheeses have a shelf life of about a week or two, and any aged cheeses should be discarded after 2 weeks’ time.