How To Tell If Cream Cheese Is Bad? (3 Signs)

How to tell if cream cheese is bad? (3 signs)

In this brief article, we will answer the question how to tell if cream cheese is bad and three signs of spoilage of cream cheese

How to tell if cream cheese is bad?

You can tell if cream cheese has gone bad by noticing the texture. Fresh cream cheese has a plain, smooth texture that becomes watery and lumpy when it spoils. It will also start to taste sour and give off a similar smell.

Because of its high moisture content, mold can also be expected to grow in a cream cheese that has expired. Immediately discard the cheese and use new.

Nutritional value of cream cheese:

Cream cheese is widely used all around the world in different recipes. It is very nutritious and provides a characteristic texture to your food. It has a high level of fat and contains a small amount of proteins and carbohydrates in it.

Cream cheese provides 342 kcal per 100 gram serving and is rich in fat. It is a good source of vitamins like vitamin A and riboflavin. It also provides a significant amount of sodium, potassium and cholesterol.

Shelf life of cream cheese:

Cream cheese is made of skimmed milk and cream from milk, so it is a dairy product. The shelf life of dairy products depends upon the storage conditions. In the case of cream cheese, the type of cream cheese also influences the shelf life.

The shelf life of different types of cream cheese are:

A foil wrapped cream cheese when stored properly lasts for about 3 to 4 weeks. Its shelf life depends on the storage conditions and if you are sure about perfect storage you can use cream cheese past its expiration date.

A flavored cream cheese lasts for 3 to 4 weeks past its expiration date in proper storage conditions. In case of reduced fat cream cheese, the shelf life reduces to 2 to 3 weeks past printed date. The Neufchatel cream cheese lasts for 2 to 3 weeks in refrigerators.

In the case of wrapped cream cheese in a plastic container, the shelf life after placing it in the refrigerator increases to 3 to 4 weeks. If you want to store opened cream cheese you can place it in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks.

How to store cream cheese?

Cream cheese is a dairy product and is stored in proper conditions to make sure it does not get spoiled. The best way to store cream cheese is in a refrigerator. The storage conditions for cream cheese are:

Storage conditions:

Cream cheese is stored in the refrigerator at 40 F or lower temperature. The best place to store cream cheese is in a refrigerator and not a freezer. Place cream cheese in moisture free place, in a cool temperature

Packaging:

Cream cheese comes in proper packaging; it has an airtight sealed container. It is because soft cheese is more prone to spoilage by bacteria. The best way to store cream cheese is in an airtight container, with a lid covering it all time.

Freezing cream cheese:

Cream cheese should not be frozen even to extend its shelf life. As it has a high level of moisture and soft texture, freezing it will ruin the texture and make crumbs. Freezing also affects the quality of cheese and ruins the flavor.

How to tell if cream cheese has gone bad?

Cream cheese is soft cheese and has a high level of moisture in it. That’s why it has a high risk of contamination by bacteria and environmental contamination. It is stored in proper conditions to avoid contamination, but sometimes it still gets spoiled.

The indications of spoiled cream cheese are:

Change in flavor:

Cream cheese has a characteristic taste and flavor to it but spoiled cream cheese will start to taste sour and smell bad. You can easily recognize the change in flavor when cream cheese goes bad. Spoiled cream cheese has a sour smell and bad taste.

Mold formation:

It starts to develop a mold and its texture loosens a lot. Molds are pretty visible on the surface of cream cheese; it is best to discard cream cheese in case of mold formation. Some people still use it after cutting the mold area from the surface of cream cheese

Change in texture:

Spoiled cream cheese starts to form lump and crumbs on the surface. Watery texture of cream cheese is an indication of spoiled cream cheese. The texture visibly changes making it look like expired cream cheese.

Expired cream cheese is not good for use and should be discarded, but in proper storage conditions cream cheese stays safe to consume. If you are sure there is no molding in cream cheese you can use it even after expiration.