After opening a package of cheddar cheese how long can you keep it for?

Question

Does the length of time change if you shredded it yourself?

Answer 1

HOW LONG IS IT SAFE TO KEEP CHEESE?
Soft cheeses should be eaten soon after purchasing. As a general rule, the harder the cheese, the longer it will remain fresh. But remember, natural cheese will continue to ripen, no matter how carefully it is stored. Hard cheeses will generally keep for several months, whereas softer cheeses will keep from one to three weeks after opening, if stored in an airtight container. In addition, large pieces of cheese tend to keep longer than shredded cheese.

Process cheese slices are best if used within six months when stored in the original package at a constant 32 °F. Opened packages rewrapped tightly and stored between 30 °F and 40 °F are best if used within three to four weeks. Frozen packages opened and rewrapped tightly, and stored at 0 °F or below, are best if used within six to eight weeks.

The "best if used by" date is intended to tell you how long the product will retain best flavor or quality. The term is not a safety date. "Best if used by" dates are intended as useful guidelines. Some foods may deteriorate more quickly and other foods may last longer than the times suggested. A number of factors can shorten the useful life of a food product, such as improper handling and inadequate storage. Food products may be consumed after the "best if used by" date if the product has been properly stored and handled.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Like so many other people I used to throw away far too much cheese because it would mold, especially partial bags of pre-shredded cheese, which don't keep as long. I think any shredded cheese will mold faster than a large chunk because it has more exposure to air.

It's hard to say how long it will last. It all depends on how airtight your container is and how long it was left out.

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Answer 4

Cheese keeps well. If it gets a little mold it can be trimmed off with no problems. After it is shredded it has a smaller shelf life. That gives it more surface area to be exposed to mold and grow.
Keep the cheese until it is really overgrown. It can be frozen, it changes the texture a bit.

Answer 5

It lasts until you see mold--full on or just white patches. You can actually cut them off and still use the cheese. Shredding will make it mold much faster....shred only what you're going to use within a day or two. Generally, it will last a month or more

Answer 6

On every package I've seen it says good only 5 days after opening. I'd never noticed this before.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

the bigger question is amount of time you left it out of the fridge. refrigeration will keep it cool and slow the molding time.... Also, if you keep it in an air tight container also will prolong the shelf life of the cheese.

Answer 9

you can keep it until there is fuzzy stuff on your cheese
i don't think the time will change if you shredded youself

Answer 10

until the cheese gets green not all green but green in some spots