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Italiancook.How long can hard cheese be left out?
[See the full post at: Daily Quiz for December 2, 2019]
I did not know and selected the incorrect answer, but it is good to know the correct answer.
I wonder if temperature makes a difference?
Missed it.
I've seen cheddar cheese left on an outdoor buffet that turned weird in a few hours, sunlight and heat will cause some hard cheeses to dry out and/or weep.
Pizza parlors will often have grated parmesan cheese in a shaker at tables, but there may be additives in it to keep it stable. Cellulose is one such additive, which some 'natural cheese' ads equate to 'sawdust'.
I got it wrong and was surprised by the answer. Back in the day before refridgeration, I'm pretty sure it was very common to eat cheese that was out for much longer.
Soft cheeses spoil easily and need refrigeration, harder cheeses do better if kept cool. My grandmother used to talk about the root cellars and cheese cellars many Iowa farmers had, which kept their vegetables and cheeses cool (probably in the 60's) all summer.
The USDA is more cautious about leaving hard cheeses at room temperature for long periods of time, hence the recommended length in today's quiz. Mold that grows on hard cheese can generally just be cut off, though.
I missed this and stick by my answer, out of personal preference. I wouldn't eat a hard cheese if I knew it had been out for that long. Bacteria. Maybe not enough bacteria to make one sick, but in my mind, I'd know it had bacteria from the germs in the air. Of course, I'm envisioning cheese just sitting out, not covered.
