Eating bad shredded cheese can lead to food poisoning, causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever, as spoiled cheese can harbor harmful bacteria like E. coli or Salmonella, or dangerous molds that produce toxins (mycotoxins). Because shredded cheese has more surface area, mold and bacteria spread easily, so you should discard the entire bag at the first sign of spoilage, like a strange smell, discolored patches (other than natural blue/green in blue cheese), or sliminess, and seek medical attention if symptoms are severe.
Eating cheese that has gone bad or is spoiled can potentially lead to foodborne illnesses. The symptoms of food poisoning from consuming spoiled cheese can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and sometimes fever.
Which brings us back to your question of how long will it take before you get sick if the cheese was ``bad''? The incubation period ie the time between eating contaminated food and the onset of symptoms, can be as short as a few hours or as long as several weeks.
In general, if the cheese is weeping moisture, or has turned brittle and dry, it has likely gone bad. Taste is also indicative of spoilage, but it should be the last line of defense.
Yes, that is totally OK, as long as you don't see mold, or notice a weird smell. With cheeses that old, a couple more months or even a year won't really matter.
If you do eat bad cheese, just sit tight. Detwiler said that the best-case scenario would be that nothing happens—the cheese might taste bad or you may get a mildly upset stomach.
As a rule, soft cheeses should last seven days in the fridge after opening, while hard cheeses should last three to four weeks.
A pungent cheese will still taste pleasant to a connoisseur. When it has gone bad, it will taste overly bitter or sour, or have a musty quality to it, like drinking water from a moldy pipe. And if a mild cheese all of a sudden has some character to it, don't assume you just aged your own cheese. Just throw it away.
On the other hand, if it's been hanging out in the back of your cheese drawer, unopened, beyond its expiration date, so long as it isn't showing signs of mold, it's probably still good to eat. Cheese will typically become unpalatable to you before it becomes unsafe.
If the smell has changed toss it.
In most people, listeriosis has no symptoms or only causes mild symptoms for a few days, such as:
In most cases, people with food poisoning get better on their own without medical treatment. You can treat food poisoning by replacing lost fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration. In some cases, over-the-counter medicines may help relieve your symptoms.
The time it takes food poisoning symptoms to start can vary. Illness often starts in about 1 to 3 days. But symptoms can start any time from 30 minutes to 3 weeks after eating contaminated food. The length of time depends on the type of bacteria or virus causing the illness.
Signs of food poisoning can kick in within two to six hours after you ingest contaminated food or liquids. But it depends on the germ you get. Some types need more time in your body before they become harmful. Symptoms tend to go away quickly, too.
If it doesn't smell or look weird (moldy) and it was properly sealed and refrigerated, you should be fine.
Cheese, especially sharp cheddar, can sometimes develop a smell that resembles feet, but this isn't always a sign that it's spoiled. However, spoiled cheese can harbor bad bacteria and harmful bacteria, which can cause food poisoning if consumed.
You're fine. The rule is that hard cheese (cheddar, jack, most cheese really) is good to eat if it's not mouldy and if there's mould, you can cut it off and eat the rest. Only bits that have mould on are bad. With soft cheeses (like Boursin, for instance), if there's mould anywhere, it all gets thrown out.
If you've ingested moldy food, don't panic, the experts say. Unless you're immunocompromised or ate a very large quantity of mold, you'll probably be OK, but watch for any symptoms in case. If you develop severe gastrointestinal symptoms or signs of an allergic reaction, seek medical attention.
Soft cheese will last one week in the fridge but is best consumed before that time. Semi-hard cheeses can last two to three weeks in the fridge when stored properly.
“Having shortness of breath or trouble breathing, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea within a day or so of eating moldy food could be a sign of food poisoning or an allergic reaction,” Spina said. Symptoms of mold exposure are not usually an emergency, but in some instances, you should seek immediate attention.
🧀❌ Here's why? 👉 It's rarely just shredded cheese in that bag… Some other common ingredients you'll find include: ❌ Anti-caking agents (typically potato starch or cellulose - aka: wood pulp!)
Cheese goes bad due to microbes that can end up living on (or in) it and ruining it. That includes both bacteria and molds that can be either harmful in themselves or can leave behind toxins that can make you sick. It's as simple as that.
REFRIGERATOR: Approximate storage times are: (1) Hard cheeses (block): 6 months, unopened packages; 3 to 4 weeks after opening. Shredded hard cheeses: 1 month after opening. (2) Soft cheeses: 1 week; cream cheese, 2 weeks.
Around 6 months, try shredded cheese pieces or serve soft cheese such as ricotta or cottage cheese on a preloaded spoon. As your baby further develops their eating skills and pincer grasp, you can offer small pieces of sliced cheese. Avoid cheese cubes as they are a choking hazard.
Sealed, pre-shredded cheese lasts forever. And they generally don't print wrong best by dates on things. Fridge is fine but if it makes you feel better, freezing should be fine, too.