How to Tell if Cheese Is High Quality

Cheese is a versatile staple served at breakfast and used in salads, pastries, and pasta. With so many products available, choosing high-quality cheese can be difficult. Price and ingredient quality vary, so check the label and the product carefully. Permitted food additives undergo safety evaluation, but the ingredient list helps show how a cheese was made. Here are the article’s suggested checks.

How should you check a cheese’s ingredients?

Natural cheese contains only milk, cultures or rennet, and salt. Other ingredients are generally added to extend shelf life, and shorter ingredient lists indicate a more natural product. Also check the fat content, production date, and storage instructions on the package. Flavor and texture may change as a product approaches its expiration date.

What can appearance tell you about cheese?

A neatly formed block of white cheese and a bright, even color can indicate quality. A yellowish color is normal in aged Kashar cheese and does not necessarily mean spoilage. Natural cheese is described as smooth and without holes, but some cheeses, such as Gruyère, naturally have holes. Texture and appearance should be judged according to the cheese variety.

What do a cheese’s smell and taste indicate?

Cheese should not have an unpleasant or excessively sour odor. A fresh, high-quality cheese should taste mildly salty and balanced rather than bitter, sharply sour, or pungent. Cheese should also break down easily in the mouth without leaving an unpleasant aftertaste. A chemical or metallic taste may indicate that additives were used.

What should you check when buying and storing cheese?

If buying cheese cut to order, inspect and smell it when possible. For vacuum-packed cheese, check that the package is intact, not swollen, and not leaking. Store opened cheese in a covered container in the refrigerator; if it came in brine, keep it in its brine. Wrapping non-brined cheese in waxed paper and covering it with a slightly damp cloth to keep it from drying out and transferring odors is suggested.

Do quality checks vary by cheese type?

Fresh white cheeses, aged Kashar, and tulum cheese have different expected characteristics. Fresh cheeses are often lighter in color and moist; aged cheeses may naturally darken and firm up as they mature. A mild moldy aroma may be expected in some tulum cheeses aged in a skin or container, but colored mold spots or a sharp ammonia-like odor mean the cheese has spoiled. Fresh whey cheeses such as lor and çökelek have a shorter shelf life and should be eaten within a few days of purchase.