Cheese, in any form, is a common feature of many people's weekly shop.
But if it's not stored correctly once it's been opened, mould can start to appear fast which makes it unsafe to eat. Some types can be kept in the fridge for months if the right steps are taken to keep it fresh.
To help people store their cheese for as long as possible, an expert has shared a couple of hacks that should preserve each block so that you can enjoy it anytime.
Here, Patricia Michelson of La Fromagerie in London has given her expert tips to the Express.
Double-wrap it
According to the expert, there are some basics that "must be followed" for preserving cheese.
One of these is to avoid wrapping it in cling film, and instead double-wrap it with waxed paper or baking parchment.
The wrapped cheese should then be kept in a "plastic container lined with a dampened kitchen towel or cloth".
The container needs to be airtight and placed into the fridge as this is where the temperature is usually the most constant. The cheese will keep for as long as it takes to eat it.
Use sugar cubes
Something that Patricia calls the "magic/science" part of storing cheese involves using sugar cubes.
She suggests putting two "bog-standard sugar cubes in with the cheese, then seal and refrigerate".
This helps to regulate the atmosphere inside the box, which will keep the cheese fresh. The sugar will start to melt as time goes on, but Patricia says “you’ll have [probably] used the cheese before that happens”.
If not, clean the box, replace the damp cloth and put the cheese back in with two new sugar cubes, she told The Guardian.
Rub it with oil
Instead of sugar, another way of preserving cheese is rubbing it with flavourless olive or vegetable oil, according to experts at Delish.
It stops the cheese from going hard or growing mould, and it can even be stored on a plate in the fridge - it doesn't have to go in a box.
Know where to store it
When you're keeping cheese in the fridge, location is crucial.
If you have space, keep it in the vegetable drawers, as there's more balanced humidity in there meaning they stay at a more constant temperature.
As well as this, the cheese will be kept away from the back of the fridge where it can potentially frost and cause the cheese to freeze.
Some fridges have a special cheese compartment, so you can make use of this too.
Freeze it
For anyone who can’t consume their cheese before the use-by date Sarah Taylor, food hygiene expert at High Speed Training previously told Express.co.uk to pop it in the freezer.
"This will extend the shelf life of it, but the process of freezing cheese will affect the texture, and the flavour of the product," she explained. "Cheeses that have a high moisture content, for example soft cheeses like brie and camembert, risk forming ice crystals when frozen, and the low temperatures can also suck the moisture out of them, causing them to dry out.
"It is not recommended that you freeze any cheese you want to enjoy eating on a cheeseboard, however freezing a block of cheddar that you intend to grate and use as an ingredient in your cauliflower cheese recipe is fine.
"If you do decide to freeze cheese, wrap it in waxed cheese paper or baking parchment and place in an airtight container before popping it in the freezer, and use within six months."
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