Can I safely remove mold from a block of cheese?

Most cheeses will mold if exposed to air for a long enough time. Some molds are actually used to produce blue cheese and other specialty cheeses.

Because some molds produce poisonous compounds called "mycotoxins," it is recommended that cheese that has become moldy in distribution not be eaten. Experts are still divided as to whether molds actually produce the toxins on cheese so a very cautious recommendation has been made.

The USDA has also posted recommendations about moldy foods. It is at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Molds_On_Food/index.asp

Molds spread through cheese by producing "hyphae," root-like structures In hard cheeses with close knitted curd structure, such as cheddar and many processed cheeses, mold hyphae do not penetrate very far below the surface. In a large block, the common practice is to remove the moldy material and reseal the block. Because molds require oxygen to grow, resealing will prevent further mold growth.

When faced with moldy cheese, consider whether the cheese block is large enough to be worth trimming. Is the mold contamination slight, or is it major? A large block may be worth saving if the mold can be removed and there is enough cheese to justify the effort.

To remove mold from a hard cheese, trim 1/4-inch BENEATH the discolored area that surrounds the mold. Typically the discolored area will be white or whitish in color. After trimming away this area, throw it out, and tightly reseal the remaining cheese. Use it as soon as possible. Mold requires oxygen to grow, so it is important to keep the remaining cheese tightly sealed. Old recommendations stated that the cheese should be wiped with a vinegar solution. This may help to some extent, but it is no longer recommended nor is it required to prevent further mold growth.

When cheese is shredded or has a loose-knit curd, such as in some colbys, and mold is detected, it should be discarded. Discard all moldy trimmings and moldy cheeses in a manner that the mold spores do not contaminate other foods. It is a good idea to not open extremely moldy product in the kitchen.

Remember if the cheese is not hard, such as cottage cheese or cream cheese, then the entire container or package must be thrown out. There is no way to safely remove the mold from these types of cheese products. Examples of hard and non-hard cheeses are below: Hard cheeses include Cheddar, Swiss, American Processed blocks Non-hard cheeses include Cottage cheese, cream cheese, feta cheese, bleu cheese