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Cheese is found in almost every refrigerator, for cooking with or just eating as is. Despite how common it is, the way to store it is often misunderstood: many people leave cheese in its original supermarket plastic container or wrap it in cling film. These are practices that can actually promote mold formation and accelerate spoilage. Let's see what experts say about this.
The anti-waste method that went viral on social media
Experts in reducing food waste shared a real on TikTok, via the account @imperfectfoods, in which they preached for the 'best way' to store cheese in the refrigerator. The video, which has reached 40,000 views and is accompanied by the slogan 'No more moldy cheese', suggests a simple, inexpensive solution that you can implement very easily at home.
What you need to preserve cheese longer
For this method, you only need a few things: a tightly sealable storage box, a sheet of kitchen paper and a basic ingredient found in most kitchens: white vinegar. This is an inexpensive product that's easily available and already known for its antibacterial properties.
The role of white vinegar against mold
The video explains that vinegar is the real ally in preserving cheese. According to the explanation, it doesn't change the taste and helps to prevent mold. The method involves wrapping the cheese in kitchen paper slightly moistened with white vinegar and then placing it in a tightly sealable storage box. By doing this, the cheese can stay good for weeks, as opposed to when stored in cling film.
Where to put cheese in the refrigerator
The place in the refrigerator also affects how long cheese stays good. If you can, it's recommended to use the drawers for fruits and vegetables. Those are designed to maintain more stable humidity and a constant temperature. It's better to avoid the back of the refrigerator, because that is the coldest part and that's where the cheese can freeze (partially).
Some refrigerators also have a special compartment for cheese. If you have one of these compartments in your refrigerator, that's the ideal place to store cheese correctly.
The freezer as a last resort
If you can't manage to eat the cheese before its expiration date, freezing is an option, although there are a few caveats. The very low temperature can affect both texture and flavor, making the product less suitable to eat as is.
To freeze cheese properly, you must wrap it in baking paper and then place it in a tightly sealable storage container, after which it can go into the freezer. Under these conditions, it's recommended to consume the cheese within six months.
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