Can mold on Parmesan cheese hurt you?
Avery Gonzales
Published Apr 03, 2026
Can mold on Parmesan cheese hurt you?
According to Morillo, it’s pretty rare that you’ll find mold growing on cheese that actually presents a health concern. With the exception of a few types that are actually quite rare to find on cheese, such as the dark black-gray mold Aspergillus niger, most mold isn’t going to hurt you at all.
What if I ate moldy Parmesan cheese?
It could taste bad or you might get an upset stomach. In-between scenario: You could have a moderate allergic reaction, contract a foodborne illness, or have respiratory issues. Worst-case scenario: You could be hospitalized, put on dialysis, or even die.
Can you get food poisoning from moldy Parmesan cheese?
Dangers of eating moldy cheese Molds can carry harmful bacteria, including E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella, and Brucella, all of which can cause food poisoning ( 5 , 6 ). The symptoms of food poisoning include vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea.
Can you cook mold out of cheese?
Baking moldy cheese at high temperatures to kill the mold is not recommended. Feel free to bake intentionally moldy cheeses, like gorgonzola or brie, for tasty and warming recipes — but if your cheese is not meant to be moldy, baking it won’t help salvage it.
How can you tell if parmesan is moldy?
Signs that Parmesan Cheese Has Gone Bad Besides mold, check for a general change in color or discolorations. If the parmesan cheese took on a weird shade of dark yellow or gray, the cheese has gone bad and is no longer safe to eat. Parmesan’s rind is different in color (yellow or orange-ish) and often hard.
How do you know if parmesan cheese is bad?
Parmesan cheese that is going bad typically will develop a very hard texture, will darken in color, will develop a strong smell and mold may appear; see instructions above for how to handle mold on a chunk of Parmesan cheese.
Does Parmesan cheese go bad in the fridge?
An open package usually retains the best quality for up to two months when stored in the fridge. Grated Parmesan degrades faster, but it will be edible at least a week after the expiry date printed on the label. However, you should consume open refrigerated shredded or grated cheese within seven days.
What to do if you have mold on your Parmesan cheese?
The cheese can last for months like this, if any moldy spots do appear then all you need to do is cut that part out and the cheese will still be edible. Usually, the best method is to grate it. When you grate Parmesan, there is less of a chance of it developing mold.
What kind of cheese can you eat with mold in it?
Mold generally can’t penetrate far into hard and semisoft cheeses, such as cheddar, colby, Parmesan and Swiss. So you can cut away the moldy part and eat the rest of the cheese.
How big should you cut off moldy cheese?
Cut off at least 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) around and below the moldy spot. Be sure to keep the knife out of the mold, so it doesn’t contaminate other parts of the cheese.
What happens to Parmesan cheese when it goes bad?
Usually, when cheese goes bad, it is easy to see the mold spots. With hard cheeses like Parmesan, the mold spots can be removed, and you can eat the rest. But what if the cheese is grated or shredded? When grated, Parmesan is white to beige in color.
The cheese can last for months like this, if any moldy spots do appear then all you need to do is cut that part out and the cheese will still be edible. Usually, the best method is to grate it. When you grate Parmesan, there is less of a chance of it developing mold.
Mold generally can’t penetrate far into hard and semisoft cheeses, such as cheddar, colby, Parmesan and Swiss. So you can cut away the moldy part and eat the rest of the cheese.
Cut off at least 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) around and below the moldy spot. Be sure to keep the knife out of the mold, so it doesn’t contaminate other parts of the cheese.
Usually, when cheese goes bad, it is easy to see the mold spots. With hard cheeses like Parmesan, the mold spots can be removed, and you can eat the rest. But what if the cheese is grated or shredded? When grated, Parmesan is white to beige in color.