How to Tell If Soft Cheese Is Bad
Soft cheese like brie, fresh mozzarella, ricotta, or goat cheese is bad if it smells sour or like ammonia, looks slimy, or shows any mold you didn't expect. Throw out the whole thing if mold appears, and eat opened soft cheese within about 1 week.
Signs Soft Cheese has gone bad
- Sour or strong ammonia smell. Brie can smell earthy and a bit ammonia-like when ripe, but an eye-watering ammonia or sour milk smell means it's overripe. Fresh cheeses like ricotta and mozzarella should smell mild and milky.
- Mold that isn't part of the cheese. Pink, green, black, or fuzzy growth on fresh mozzarella, ricotta, or goat cheese means it should go in the trash. Soft cheese is too moist to cut around.
- Slimy film or yellow, sticky surface. A slick, tacky coating on fresh cheese, or sticky yellowing on the rind of ripened cheese, signals spoilage.
- Sour, bitter taste. Fresh cheese should be mild and sweet. A sharp sour or bitter flavor shows it's gone off.
- Cloudy, sour-smelling brine. Fresh mozzarella and similar cheeses packed in liquid should have clear, mild brine. Cloudy, stinky liquid is a red flag.
Looks weird, but it's fine
- White bloom rind on brie. The fluffy white coating on brie and camembert is a natural, edible mold used in making the cheese.
- Liquid whey in ricotta. Clear or yellowish liquid pooling on ricotta is whey. Stir it in or pour it off, as long as it smells fresh.
- Ash or vein lines in goat cheese. Edible ash coatings or blue veins are intentional in certain cheeses, not signs of spoilage.
How long does Soft Cheese last?
| Where | How long | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fridge (unopened) | Until the use-by date | Many fresh cheeses keep 2 to 4 weeks |
| Fridge (opened) | 5 to 7 days | Fresh mozzarella and ricotta: 3 to 5 days |
| Freezer | Up to 6 months | Texture gets crumbly; best for cooking |
| Counter | Max 2 hours | Bring back to the fridge promptly |
How to store it
- Keep fresh mozzarella in its brine, and once opened, change the liquid or use a clean container with a bit of salted water.
- Wrap bloomy-rind cheeses like brie in wax or cheese paper and keep them away from strong-smelling foods.
- Pregnant people and others at higher risk should avoid soft cheese made from unpasteurized milk, which can carry Listeria.
Use it up before it turns
Frequently asked questions
Can you cut mold off soft cheese?
No. Soft cheese is moist enough for mold to spread below the surface, so toss the whole piece. The only mold you should eat is the kind that is a planned part of the cheese, like the white rind on brie.
How long does opened ricotta last?
About 5 to 7 days for store-bought, and 3 to 5 days for fresh mozzarella. Smell it first and look for sliminess or sour notes.
Is brie bad if it smells like ammonia?
A faint ammonia note can be normal as brie ripens. If the smell is strong and sharp, or the cheese is runny and slimy, it's overripe and should be thrown out.
More food freshness guides
General guidance based on USDA FoodKeeper. Storage times are estimates and conditions vary. When in doubt, throw it out.