We all love cheese. So much so that we need a little intel on eating good from bad. Here are a few things to look for and avoid, so you don't eat bad (turned) cheese. There's more to bad cheese than what you can visibly see. The package's smell and feel are stronger indicators of turned cheese.
Bloomy cheeses are bad: They have a brown or red color, and they smell like ammonia. They have turned to soup and are bubbly with an ammonia smell. Washrind cheeses are bad: They feel slimy. They have a liquid build-up, and they are oozing. It's tricky with the smell since it's stinky cheese already.
Now that you've chosen some of your cheese favorites, here are some suggestions on proper cheese storage. Putting cheese in the freezer doesn't save the cheese. If anything, it kills the cheese leaving it completely bland. Never freeze your cheese, ever. Wrap it in cheese paper or wax paper, personally. Let your cheese breathe a bit, but don't keep it forever. It will lose its flavor once it's cut. When you buy a small quarter or half-wheel of cheese, it should last 1-7 days. A full wheel lasts 1-2 weeks; once you cut into it, it lasts seven days max.
Here is a link to a proper cheese storage material:
* I will discuss further proper storage and what to look for in-depth in coming blogs.