Handling and Storage Natural Cheese is a living food, produced by introducing favorable bacteria or other microbes to fresh milk. It can change in flavor and texture over its useful life, so special handling is necessary to preserve flavor and appearance. Always refrigerate cheese immediately on arrival, to preserve freshness. Fresh unripened cheeses should be stored could and tightly covered. Soft and soft-ripened cheeses can be stored in warmer places in the refrigerator, in the original wrappers, or food storage containers.
Higher humidity encourages the growth of white rind, and blue cheese mold.
Keep these types separate from other cheese. Hare and semi-hard cheeses are best stored in a cooler part of the refrigerator than soft cheeses Keep in the original wrappers, or use food storage containers. Very hard cheeses keep best when the outer surface is fairly dry, and they can breathe. Store in a cold but not too humid part of the refrigerator in original packaging or food storage containers. Freezing is not the best method of storing cheese, but may be acceptable for hard and very hard cheeses.