Ricotta is a soft cheese that commonly shows up in Italian cooking, both in sweet and savory dishes. Its lumpy texture and high liquid content make it difficult to discern when the cheese starts to spoil. Apply several strategies to prevent ricotta cheese from spoiling and to identify ricotta that has already gone bad.
Storage Time
Unlike hard cheeses, which stay fresh for up to a month when refrigerated, soft cheeses like ricotta spoil more quickly. Select ricotta cheese that has a date stamp of at least one to two weeks away. If you purchase handmade ricotta that does not have a date stamp, it may lack the preservatives or sealed packaging that keep it fresh longer. In general, you should consume ricotta cheese within two weeks of purchasing it and within one week of breaking the seal on the packaging.
Appearance
The appearance of your ricotta cheese's packaging or the contents can provide key information regarding its freshness. If you purchase ricotta and find that the seal is broken or loose, or the package has any holes, dents or imperfections, do not consume the cheese. Air may have already entered the packaging and triggered spoiling. If the consistency appears off or you see discoloration, discard the cheese. As a final test, smell the ricotta. It should have a mild smell.
Cooked Ricotta
If you purchased ricotta prepared in a cooked dish, follow the rules that apply to most leftovers. Consume the cooked ricotta within four days. This time limit helps protect your from Clostridium perfringens, a common bacteria that breeds in leftovers. Eating this bacteria can cause food poisoning and produce symptoms such as cramping and diarrhea. Symptoms typically subside within 24 hours.
Skip the Taste Test
That small taste you take to determine if your ricotta cheese is spoiled can expose you to listeria, a bacteria that breeds in soft cheeses and causes food poisoning. While food poisoning rarely continues beyond a couple days, it can cause extreme vomiting and diarrhea, leading to dehydration.
Considerations
Reduce the chances of spoiling ricotta cheese by storing it well. Your refrigerator should be set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler. If you opt to freeze your ricotta cheese, set it at 0 degrees or cooler and be aware that freezing ricotta changes its consistency. If you have a power outage that lasts long enough for your refrigerator or freezer to significantly warm up, assume your ricotta cheese has spoiled.
Member Comments