Can you eat feta cheese with mold
In this brief guide, we will address the query, “can you eat feta cheese with mold?” We will also discuss what factors ease the apparition of mold on feta cheese, and what may happen if you consume it.
Can you eat feta cheese with mold?
No, you cannot eat feta cheese with mold. Feta cheese can develop mold after a while, just like any other food. But the thing with feta cheese is that it is considered a soft cheese, so the mold spores will spread easily over the whole feta cheese.
If you happen to consume moldy cheese, you will also ingest some detrimental bacteria that can lead to food poisoning, which is known by their annoying symptoms, that if severe enough can be lethal.
What is feta cheese?
Feta cheese was first created in Greece and has become popular in the modern diet. It is made from goat’s and sheep’s milk that can be either pasteurized or not. It is part of the soft cheeses, just like blue cheese and camembert.
Its texture can be described as creamy and crumbly, and its taste is kind of salty and tangy. The smell has some nutty strong notes. It is one of the cheeses with the highest levels of calcium.
This cheese can be used in different ways, as a table cheese or melted on a traditional Greek salad, pizza, or pie. We recommend you pair it with olive oil, nuts, or roasted red peppers. If you are more into wine, pair it with a Pinot Noir, a Sauvignon Blanc, or a Zinfandel.
How can you properly store feta cheese?
To avoid feta cheese from going bad quickly and developing any kind of mold. Usually, you will find feta cheese crumbled or in blocks. The feta cheese blocks usually have a longer shelf life, even more, when they have been brined.
You can also prepare your brine solution to make feta cheese last longer. The shelf life of brined feta cheese can be up to a month. Also, freezing feta cheese can be an option only when it will be cooked in the dishes, that way it can last up to six months, but some characteristics may have changed.
However, if you do not feel like preparing brine or freezing it, you should consume your feta cheese in a week, as that is its shelf life when it is not brined.
How can you tell if feta cheese has gone bad?
Like any other food, when its shelf life is surpassed, feta can go bad. So, whenever you want to eat some feta cheese (or any other food), you should check for spoilage signs before consuming it.
Some signs that indicate feta cheese has spoiled are:
- If the texture has become dry, hard, and gritty, do not consume it. Maybe you will have no food poisoning symptoms, but the taste and texture will be a huge no.
- If you notice any sign of mold, do not consume it by any means. As feta cheese is a soft cheese, mold can easily infect all over the whole piece of feta cheese.
- If you notice a bad smell, it is probably spoiled. Do not consume any cheese with a sour, or unpleasant smell.
What is mold?
According to the North Central District Health Department, molds are microscopic fungi that can live on vegetal or animal matter. They are everywhere, literally! Their role in the environment is really important as they can digest organic matter.
Molds reproduce by the production of spores, this kind of reproduction can be compared to seed plants, but spores play the seed role.
How many types of mold are there?
The Fungi Kingdom is huge, and so are the molds. There have been reported nearly 100, 000 different types of mold that exhibit different properties among them. Molds can come in different colors, some may be dark, and some others may exhibit lighter colors.
Some mold can produce mycotoxins, these are the most toxic fungi and should be avoided at all costs.
If you want further guidance on this subject, please click here.
What happens if you have consumed feta cheese with mold on it?
Sometimes you may accidentally consume food with mold, so what happens next? Well, first of all, you do not have to panic about it, but you do need to be conscious that you have consumed mold so if any symptoms occur you know why.
Most of the time, you will be okay after eating food with mold, however, you can exhibit some food poisoning symptoms, such as:
- Fever
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath
If not controlled, or in case of severe food poisoning, eating feta cheese with mold can be lethal.
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we have addressed the query, “can you eat feta cheese with mold?” We have also discussed other queries related to the subject at hand, like the effects that can have on human health.
Hope you found this blog useful. If you have any questions, please let us know.
