How Should You Store Blue Cheese?
Refrigerate blue cheese promptly and follow the maker’s wrapping and package-date directions. Maytag recommends its original foil inside a bag in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks to retain moisture and texture; its freezer advice is also for its own cheese. Blue veins are intentional, but unfamiliar surface growth needs product-specific evaluation.
Quick answer
Keep the package refrigerated at the label’s temperature and follow its use-by instructions. Maytag says its own product is perishable and should be refrigerated on arrival; that instruction is not a universal period for all blue cheeses, crumbles, spreads, or different packaging.
Follow the product date and continuous cold-storage directions on the actual package.
Maytag recommends retaining its signature foil and enclosing its wheel or wedge in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks to retain moisture and preserve texture. The source does not specify whether this period starts at arrival or opening. Other blue cheeses may use different wraps or containers; follow that maker’s directions.
Maytag states an up-to-6-week quality period but does not define its clock start; it concerns moisture and texture, not a universal safety deadline.
Maytag says its characteristic green veining comes from P. roqueforti intentionally added during manufacture and that a natural bloomy rind may develop on its cheese. That helps explain those features in that product only; it does not identify unrelated new growth on another blue cheese.
Color and veining do not start or reset a storage clock.
Maytag says its blue cheese can be frozen for up to 1 year. For its own wheel or wedge, it recommends keeping its signature foil and adding an airtight freezer bag; it notes texture can become more crumbly. Another product may not be suitable. Follow the exact label and do not use this as a safety extension.
The maker’s period begins with freezing for its product; it is product-specific and does not undo earlier mishandling.
Discard immediately if
- Discard cheese with contamination, damaged packaging, or storage history that makes safety uncertain.
- If new surface growth differs from the cheese’s expected veining/rind or the maker cannot identify it, do not assume it is safe because the cheese is blue; contact the producer or discard.
Why guidance varies
Blue cheeses vary in moisture, firmness, rind, packaging, and whether they are wedges, crumbles, or spreads. Maytag says its cheese is inoculated with Penicillium roqueforti and may develop a natural bloomy rind; its care directions apply to its own foil-wrapped wheel/wedge. No single storage or mold-removal rule fits every product.
Blue veins are part of the intended cheese
Blue cheese is made with blue-veining cultures. Maytag says its P. roqueforti spores are added during production to create the distinctive green-blue veins. The company also says its cheese may develop a natural bloomy rind. That product-specific information helps distinguish expected features from an ordinary block of cheddar, but it does not mean any new mold on any blue cheese is automatically safe.
Keep the package cold and protected
Maytag describes its cheese as perishable and instructs customers to refrigerate it when received. For its own wheel or wedge, it recommends keeping the original foil and storing the cheese in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks to retain moisture and texture. Its page does not state whether that clock begins at arrival or opening. Other blue cheeses may be sold as crumbles, spreads, or in different wrappers; follow the package.
Differentiate known veining from unfamiliar growth
The maker’s description can help identify the cheese’s designed veining and rind, but visual inspection cannot establish safety. If surface growth appears that differs from the product’s expected appearance, do not assume it is harmless or trim it based on a generic blue-cheese rule. Check the exact manufacturer guidance; if you cannot identify the change, discard the cheese. Never use smell or taste alone to certify safety.
Freezing advice is maker-specific
Maytag says its own cheese can be frozen for up to 1 year and gives a specific wrapping method; the company notes texture can become more crumbly. That advice is for its own cheese, not all blue cheeses. Follow your package’s instructions and keep the cheese sealed. FoodSafety.gov’s general perishable-food guidance still applies to counter exposure and refrigeration; freezing cannot reverse unsafe handling that occurred earlier.
Match the product state, storage conditions and source clock above. This guide does not provide an automatic expiry timer.
Frequently asked questions
Is mold in blue cheese normal?
The blue veins in blue cheese are part of the intended product. Maytag says its distinctive veins are made with P. roqueforti and that a natural bloomy rind may develop on its cheese. That does not identify every new surface growth on every brand.
Should I scrape mold off blue cheese?
Do not assume that any new surface growth is safe to scrape just because the cheese has blue veins. Maytag’s care directions are for its own product; consult your maker’s advice or discard if unfamiliar growth cannot be identified.
How should I wrap blue cheese after opening?
Maytag recommends keeping its foil-wrapped cheese in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks to retain moisture and texture. The source does not specify whether the period starts at arrival or opening. Follow other makers’ instructions for their products.
Can blue cheese be frozen?
Maytag says its own blue cheese can be frozen for up to 1 year, with careful wrapping; texture may become more crumbly. This is not a universal freezer duration. Follow the exact package.
Sources for this answer
- B Maytag Dairy Farms — Cheese Care — Maytag describes its deliberate P. roqueforti veining, color variation, possible natural bloomy rind, and specific wrap/refrigeration/freezing care for its product.
- B Maytag Dairy Farms — FAQs — Maytag says its cut surfaces can bloom naturally and that its cheese’s specific storage/freezing advice depends on tight wrapping and product form.
- A FoodSafety.gov — 4 Steps to Food Safety — Keep perishable cheese refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below and limit counter exposure to two hours, or one hour above 90°F (32°C).
- A FDA — Are You Storing Food Safely? — FDA notes food may be unsafe without sensory signs and advises discarding moldy food; this general statement needs careful interpretation for mold intentionally used in cheese-making.