5 Tips for Keeping Cheese Fresh With Proper Packaging

“Do I need to buy special paper to wrap my cheese in?”, A question that has maybe crossed the minds of people who have sliced a layer of mold off their cheese, one too many times. The answer to that is a big, heart “YES”. Cheese is one of the versatile foods in the world, it comes in different types; can be eaten as fast food on burgers, sandwiches and pizza; or, as a classy meal with the more expensive, gourmet variety. What most cheese consumers are unaware of is that cheese, like many other edible products, needs to be stored in a certain way; and, this includes proper packaging. For some reason, folks have a misleading notion that this food is eternally fresh.

To avoid having to encounter a moldy, hard packet of cheese in your fridge too often,

Here are some dos and don’ts for properly storing cheese

Do Not Store In Plastic Wrap

Plastic wrap, which most regular store-bought cheese comes in, is actually the worst packaging for maintaining the freshness of your cheese.  It is definitely more convenient to store your food just as you bought it but, plastic wrap is basically a prison for your cheese, disrupting its natural flavor, temperature and texture.

Many cheese packaging is made using flexible packaging and you can buy cheese or cheese products that are packaged with flexible packaging to have fresh flavors.

On the other hand, many food packaing companies offer businesses the best kind of packaging to keep the food products fresh over time. And if you have a cheese producing or supplying business, you can simply opt for flexible cheese packaging.

Cheese Paper

Yes, there is special packaging just for cheese. Plastic wrap is not ideal in any way for cheese preservation; humidity is enclosed in the wrap and it slowly evaporates, sitting in a puddle of water. Cheese paper, on the other hand, maintains a perfect atmosphere, retaining just the right amount of moisture cheese needs to stay fresh.

Allow Room To Breathe

With time, cheese will continue to change, in texture and flavor, in positive and negative ways.  Cheese emits its own natural odours; you don’t want to lose that. If you wrap your cheese too tight with plastic wrap, you’re basically stifling the flavor, allowing the cheese absorb the flavor of the plastic; but, wrap it too loose and your cheese gets dried out and hardened.

Wax Paper Or Parchment Paper

Cheese paper does not have too many manufacturers, with Formaticum being the most popular. If you have some difficulties in purchasing cheese papers or you just do not want them, there is an alternative method. Wrap your cheese in wax or parchment paper then, place in a partially sealed plastic bag. The wax and plastic combo allows the cheese a perfect temperature for preservation. The wax or parchment paper acts as a barrier between the plastic and cheese, and the plastic retains some levels of moisture, preventing drying out. You can alternatively use aluminum foil if you want to avoid plastic completely.

Prevent Molding With Oil

To avoid any contact with plastic whatsoever, store your cheese by rubbing a light coating of oil- olive or some other vegetable oil- and preserve in your fridge in an airtight container. Any mold that does grow will be on the oil, not the cheese, and will be easily dabbed away.

How To Properly Wrap And Store Cheese

Place waxed parchment or cheese paper on a flat surface with cheese on top

Wrap up the cheese, making neat folds. (you can secure with tape if you like)

Label the package with the kind of cheese and its date

Provide an extra layer of protection by storing in a loose plastic bag

Store in appropriate places- warmest part of the refrigerator or a vegetable drawer.

Note: Cheese made without artificial preservatives or containing high salt levels, generally have a shorter life span and will begin to mold quicker than the soft-washed rind and bloomy rind types.