How long does mozzarella last in the fridge? The time mozzarella stays good depends on the type and if it’s been opened. Generally, unopened fresh mozzarella in liquid lasts about 5-7 days past its “best by” or “sell by” date. Once opened, fresh mozzarella should be used within 3-5 days. Unopened low-moisture mozzarella blocks can last 2-4 weeks past the date, while opened blocks are good for 1-2 weeks. Shredded mozzarella lasts 1-2 weeks past the date unopened and about 5-7 days after opening. Checking for spoilage signs is always the best way to know if it’s still safe to eat. This guide will help you keep your mozzarella fresh for as long as possible and tell you when it’s time to throw it out. We will look at different kinds of mozzarella, how to store them, and what signs mean they are no longer good.
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Different Kinds of Mozzarella and How Long They Keep
Mozzarella is a cheese people love all over the world. But not all mozzarella is the same. The type of mozzarella changes how long it lasts in your fridge. Let’s look at the main kinds.
Fresh Mozzarella: Balls in Brine
This is the soft, white cheese often sold in balls or logs. It usually comes in a bag or container filled with liquid. This liquid is often called brine, which is salty water, or sometimes just plain water or whey (the liquid left after making cheese). This cheese has a lot of moisture. That’s why it tastes so good and creamy. But that moisture also means it doesn’t last as long as drier cheeses.
- Unopened: When you buy fresh mozzarella still sealed in its liquid, it usually has a “sell by” or “best by” date. You can often keep it in the fridge for about 5 to 7 days after this date. The liquid keeps it moist and helps protect it. This is its unopened mozzarella shelf life.
- Opened: As soon as you open the package, you let air and tiny living things get to the cheese. This starts the clock for it going bad. Opened fresh mozzarella in the fridge should be used faster. It’s best to eat it within 3 to 5 days after opening. Keeping it longer than this is risky. This is about how long opened mozzarella fridge life is.
Keeping fresh mozzarella right is very important for making it last those few days. We will talk more about how to store fresh mozzarella later.
Low-Moisture Mozzarella: Blocks and Shreds
This is the mozzarella you usually put on pizza. It’s firmer and drier than fresh mozzarella. It doesn’t come packed in liquid. It’s often sold in solid blocks or already shredded in bags. Because it has less water, this type of mozzarella lasts much longer than fresh mozzarella.
- Unopened Block: A block of low-moisture mozzarella that hasn’t been opened lasts a long time. It can stay good in the fridge for about 2 to 4 weeks past the “best by” date printed on the package. This longer time is thanks to its lower moisture content and good packaging. This is part of the unopened mozzarella shelf life.
- Opened Block: Once you cut into a block, you expose the cheese to air. This speeds up how quickly it goes bad. An opened block of mozzarella should be wrapped well and used within 1 to 2 weeks. How well you wrap it makes a big difference. This is part of the opened mozzarella fridge life. Good block mozzarella storage helps here.
- Unopened Shredded: Shredded mozzarella in a sealed bag also lasts quite a while unopened. It might last 1 to 2 weeks past the “best by” date. It has a little more surface area exposed to air inside the bag than a block, so it might not last quite as long unopened as a block. This relates to shredded mozzarella expiration dates before opening.
- Opened Shredded: Shredded mozzarella goes bad the fastest after opening. Because it’s already cut into many small pieces, lots of cheese surface is open to the air and germs. An opened bag of shredded mozzarella is usually best used within 5 to 7 days. This is when shredded mozzarella expiration becomes a concern quickly.
Smoked Mozzarella
Smoked mozzarella can be either fresh or low-moisture. The smoking process adds flavor and can help it last a little longer than its unsmoked version. But you should still follow the rules for fresh or low-moisture types. A smoked low-moisture block will last longer than a smoked fresh ball. Check the type of smoked mozzarella you have and use the guidelines for fresh or low-moisture cheese.
Understanding the type of mozzarella you have is the first step to knowing its mozzarella shelf life and how long it’s good in the fridge.
Things That Change How Long Mozzarella Lasts
Knowing the general times for different mozzarella types is a good start. But several things can make your mozzarella go bad faster or help it stay good longer. Think about these factors.
How Much Water is Inside
This is the biggest factor. Fresh mozzarella has a lot of water. Bad germs and mold love water. They grow much faster in moist places. This is why fresh mozzarella goes bad quickly, even in the fridge. Drier cheeses like low-moisture mozzarella have less water. This makes it harder for bad things to grow, so they last longer. This is a key part of mozzarella shelf life.
How Cold Your Fridge Is
Your fridge should be kept at the right temperature. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says your fridge should be at or below 40°F (4°C). Keeping your fridge cold slows down how fast germs grow. If your fridge is warmer than this, your mozzarella (and other foods) will spoil much faster. Make sure your fridge is cold enough.
How It’s Kept After Opening
Air is the enemy of opened mozzarella. When cheese is exposed to air, it can dry out. It also lets mold spores and bacteria from the air land on the cheese. This is why proper storing mozzarella cheese is so important. Sealing it well keeps air out and helps it last longer once opened. This is especially true for opened mozzarella fridge life.
How You Handle It
Think about what touches your mozzarella. If you touch it with unclean hands, or use a dirty knife or cutting board, you can transfer germs to the cheese. These germs can then grow and cause spoilage. Always use clean tools and clean hands when you handle your mozzarella. Good habits help storing mozzarella cheese safely.
The Date on the Package
Packages have dates like “sell by” or “best by.” These dates are guides for quality or how long the store should display the product. They are not strict “go bad on this date” labels for safety in many cases, especially for longer-lasting foods. For mozzarella, especially the low-moisture type, it can often be good for some time past this date if stored correctly and shows no signs of spoilage. Fresh mozzarella is more sensitive, so stick closer to the date or the few extra days mentioned earlier. We will talk more about these dates later.
All these things work together to affect how long does mozzarella last. Paying attention to them can help you get the most out of your cheese before mozzarella cheese spoilage sets in.
Keeping Your Mozzarella Fresh
Storing your mozzarella the right way is key to making it last as long as possible after you buy it. Different types need different care. Good storing mozzarella cheese practices can save you money and stop waste.
Fresh Mozzarella Storage Tips
This type needs special care because of all its water.
- Keep it Wet: Do not let fresh mozzarella dry out. If it came in liquid, keep it in that liquid in the fridge.
- Use an Airtight Container: Once opened, take the mozzarella and its liquid out of the original bag or package. Put both the cheese balls and the liquid into a clean container that seals tightly. A glass or plastic container with a good lid works well. This stops air from getting in and helps keep the cheese moist. This is vital for how to store fresh mozzarella correctly.
- Change the Liquid (Optional but Recommended): Some people change the liquid every day or two, especially if the original liquid wasn’t brine. You can use cold water with a little salt added (about 1 teaspoon of salt per cup of water). This helps keep the cheese fresh and keeps its nice texture. This extra step helps with storing mozzarella cheese.
- Keep it Cold: Always keep fresh mozzarella in the coldest part of your fridge, usually the back or bottom shelf.
Following these steps helps make sure your opened mozzarella fridge life is as long as it can be (about 3-5 days).
Low-Moisture Storage Tips
This drier cheese needs to be protected from air, but not kept wet.
- Wrap it Tight: Once you open a block, wrap the unused part very well. Use plastic wrap first, making sure there are no air gaps touching the cheese surface. Then, you can add a layer of aluminum foil or put the wrapped cheese into a zip-top bag or airtight container. The goal is to keep air away from the cheese. This is the main rule for block mozzarella storage.
- Use an Airtight Container (Best): Putting the tightly wrapped block into an airtight container gives it double protection and is the best way for storing mozzarella cheese blocks.
- Cut Only What You Need: Try to cut only the amount of cheese you plan to use. This leaves the rest of the block untouched and wrapped, keeping it fresher longer.
Good block mozzarella storage means keeping air out. This helps it last 1-2 weeks after opening.
Storing Shredded Mozzarella
Shredded cheese is handy but goes bad faster after opening.
- Push Out Air and Reseal: The bag shredded mozzarella comes in is often resealable. After using some, push out as much air as you can before sealing the bag tightly.
- Use an Airtight Container (Recommended): For best results, put the whole bag of shredded mozzarella into a larger airtight container or zip-top bag. This extra layer helps keep more air out and protects the cheese better. This fights against shredded mozzarella expiration once opened.
- Use It Quickly: Even with careful storage, plan to use opened shredded mozzarella within 5-7 days because so much surface area is exposed.
Good storing mozzarella cheese habits like these are simple but make a big difference in how long does mozzarella last in your fridge.
How to Tell if Mozzarella Has Gone Bad
Even with the best storage, mozzarella won’t last forever. It’s important to know the signs that your cheese is no longer good to eat. Eating spoiled cheese can make you sick. Don’t rely only on the date on the package. Use your senses – look, smell, and feel the cheese. These are the key signs of bad mozzarella and mozzarella cheese spoilage.
Looking for Clues
Visual signs are often the first hint that something is wrong.
- Mold: This is the most obvious sign. Mold on mozzarella often looks like fuzzy spots or patches. It can be white, green, blue, or even black. For soft cheeses like fresh mozzarella or the surface of shredded cheese, if you see mold, the cheese is usually no longer safe. Tiny mold roots can spread through the moist cheese even if you only see a spot on the surface.
- Color Change: Fresh mozzarella should be bright white. If it starts to look yellowish or pinkish, it’s likely going bad. Low-moisture mozzarella should be a creamy white or pale yellow. Any dark spots (not related to smoking) or unusual colors can mean spoilage.
Giving it a Sniff Test
How cheese smells is a strong indicator of freshness.
- Sour or Off Smell: Fresh mozzarella has a very mild, milky smell. If it smells sour, like old milk, or has any strange, unpleasant odor, it’s probably spoiled. Low-moisture mozzarella has a light, milky or slightly tangy smell. A strong, sharp, or rotten smell means it’s bad.
- Ammonia Smell: Sometimes, cheese gives off a faint smell of ammonia as it ages. A slight smell might be okay for some harder cheeses, but for mozzarella, especially fresh mozzarella, a noticeable ammonia smell is a sign of spoilage.
Checking How it Feels
The texture of the cheese can also tell you if it’s still good.
- Slimy Surface: Fresh mozzarella should feel smooth and soft, but not slimy. If it has a slick, slimy coating, that’s a sign of bacterial growth and spoilage. Low-moisture blocks shouldn’t be slimy either.
- Hard or Dry Edges (for fresh mozzarella): While some drying is normal on exposed surfaces, if fresh mozzarella becomes hard or very dry and crumbly, it’s losing quality and possibly spoiling, especially if combined with other signs.
- Mushy or Too Soft: Fresh mozzarella should hold its shape but be soft. If it turns very mushy or starts to break down in a strange way, it’s gone bad.
When in Doubt, Throw it Out
If you see mold (on fresh or shredded/opened block), or if the cheese has a bad smell or slimy texture, it’s not safe to eat. It’s better to waste a little cheese than to risk getting sick. Trust your senses when looking for signs of bad mozzarella and mozzarella cheese spoilage. The expiration date is just a guide; the actual state of the cheese is what matters most.
Can You Freeze Mozzarella?
Sometimes you might buy too much mozzarella or want to save it for later. Freezing can be a way to make mozzarella last much longer than it would in the fridge. However, freezing changes the texture of mozzarella, especially the fresh kind.
- What Happens When You Freeze It: Freezing causes the water inside the cheese to form ice crystals. When the cheese thaws, these crystals melt, and the water can separate from the cheese curds. This makes the texture more crumbly and less smooth or stretchy than fresh mozzarella.
- Which Types Freeze Best: Low-moisture mozzarella (blocks or shredded) freezes better than fresh mozzarella. Because it has less water to begin with, the texture change is less dramatic. It might still be more crumbly after thawing, but it works well for cooking, like on pizza or in baked dishes, where the melted texture is the main goal. Fresh mozzarella can be frozen, but its lovely soft, smooth texture will be lost. It might become grainy or rubbery. It’s generally not recommended for dishes where the fresh texture is important, like Caprese salad.
- How to Freeze:
- Remove the mozzarella from its original packaging.
- If it’s a block, wrap it very tightly in plastic wrap, pressing out all the air. Then wrap it again in aluminum foil or place it in a freezer bag.
- If it’s shredded, put it in a freezer bag and push out as much air as possible before sealing.
- Label the package with the date you froze it.
- How to Thaw: The best way to thaw frozen mozzarella is slowly in the fridge. Move it from the freezer to the fridge and let it thaw for 24-48 hours, depending on the size of the block. Do not thaw it at room temperature, as this can cause bacteria to grow. Once thawed, the texture will be different. Use it fairly soon after thawing.
Freezing lets you extend mozzarella shelf life for several months (up to 3-6 months is often recommended), but remember the quality will not be the same as fresh or unfrozen cheese.
What Package Dates Really Mean
We’ve talked about “sell by” and “best by” dates. It’s helpful to know what these dates actually mean because they guide you on mozzarella shelf life, but they aren’t the final word on safety.
Sell-By Dates
- This date is mostly for the store. It tells the store how long to display the product for sale.
- It’s not an expiration date. You can often buy the product on the sell-by date or even shortly after.
- The product should still be good for some time after the sell-by date if stored correctly at home.
Best-By Dates
- This date is about quality, not safety (in most cases).
- It suggests when the product will have the best flavor and texture.
- It does not mean the food will instantly go bad or be unsafe after this date.
Use-By Dates
- This date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality.
- This date is set by the manufacturer.
- While it’s closer to an expiration date than sell-by or best-by, you should still check the cheese for spoilage signs even before this date, and it might still be okay shortly after if stored perfectly.
For mozzarella, especially low-moisture types, the cheese is often still good for some time after the “best by” or “sell by” date. Fresh mozzarella is less forgiving due to its moisture. Always use the date as a guide, but depend more on checking the cheese for signs of bad mozzarella (smell, look, feel) to know if it’s truly safe to eat. This is key to interpreting how long does mozzarella last in your fridge.
Quick Guide: Typical Mozzarella Shelf Life
Here is a simple table summarizing the general timelines for different types of mozzarella in the fridge. Remember these are estimates. Always check for spoilage signs.
| Mozzarella Type | Unopened (Past Date) | Opened |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh (Balls in Brine) | 5-7 days | 3-5 days |
| Low-Moisture Block | 2-4 weeks | 1-2 weeks |
| Low-Moisture Shredded | 1-2 weeks | 5-7 days |
This table helps give you a quick idea of the expected mozzarella shelf life once you bring it home and put it in the fridge. It covers unopened mozzarella shelf life and opened mozzarella fridge life.
Questions People Often Ask
People have common questions about keeping mozzarella fresh and knowing when it’s bad. Here are some answers.
Can I Eat Mozzarella After the ‘Best By’ Date?
Yes, often you can. For low-moisture mozzarella, it’s usually fine for weeks past the “best by” date if stored properly and there are no signs of spoilage like mold, bad smell, or slimy texture. Fresh mozzarella is riskier, but might be okay for a few days past the date if it looks and smells perfectly fine and has been kept cold in fresh liquid. Always check the cheese itself carefully.
What If My Mozzarella Smells a Little Sour?
A sour smell, especially in fresh mozzarella, usually means it’s starting to spoil or already has. Fresh mozzarella should smell milky or very slightly tangy, not sour or like rotten milk. It’s best not to eat it if it smells sour, as this is one of the main signs of bad mozzarella.
If There’s Mold, Can I Just Cut It Off?
For soft or moist cheeses like fresh mozzarella, ricotta, or shredded mozzarella, if you see mold, you should throw away the whole thing. Mold in soft cheeses sends tiny roots deep into the cheese that you can’t see. Cutting off the visible mold doesn’t remove the rest. For hard or semi-hard cheeses, you can sometimes cut mold off, but mozzarella isn’t one of those. Mold is a clear sign of mozzarella cheese spoilage.
Is Slimy Mozzarella Safe?
No. A slimy surface on mozzarella is a sign that bacteria are growing on it. This is a definite sign of bad mozzarella. Throw it away.
How Long Can Mozzarella Stay Out of the Fridge?
Like most cheeses, mozzarella should not be left out at room temperature for too long. The general food safety rule is two hours. If the room is very warm (above 90°F or 32°C), that time drops to one hour. Bacteria grow quickly at room temperature. To keep mozzarella shelf life as long as possible and stay safe, keep it cold.
These questions cover some important points about using and storing mozzarella cheese safely.
Conclusion
Keeping your mozzarella good for as long as possible comes down to a few simple things. Know the difference between fresh and low-moisture types, as their natural mozzarella shelf life is different. Always store mozzarella correctly – keep fresh mozzarella in liquid in an airtight container and tightly wrap or seal low-moisture types away from air. Pay close attention to the signs of bad mozzarella: mold, a bad smell (like sour or rotten), or a slimy texture. While package dates offer a guide, your senses are the most important tool for judging if your cheese is still safe to eat. By following these tips for storing mozzarella cheese, you can enjoy this delicious cheese and avoid mozzarella cheese spoilage, making sure your mozzarella is good in the fridge when you need it.