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GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => STANDARD METHODS - Aging Cheese => Topic started by: Annie on April 17, 2012, 04:32:33 PM

Title: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Annie on April 17, 2012, 04:32:33 PM
It's really hard to do a search for dealing unwanted mold on cheese!

So I have a cheese which keeps getting mold on it. I have rubbed it with vinegar and wrapped it with a vinegar-soaked handkerchief. I cut out what's left after the rubbing...

What more can I do?

Thanks very much!
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Hande on April 17, 2012, 04:59:50 PM
Annie, you need to say how you ripen your cheese  :)
Where, what temp and RH %.

Hande
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Annie on April 17, 2012, 05:17:09 PM
Annie, you need to say how you ripen your cheese  :)
:-[

Quote
Where, what temp and RH %.

Hande
I am ripening my cheese in a refrigerator which broke in such a way that it stays around 50 in it (!) I only know the humidity is Very Low because I haven't gotten a hygrometer yet, and wasn't sure how to humidify in there until about an hour ago when I put a dish of water in it. (I hope that's the right thing to do!)

And actually, this cheese got moldy before, a couple of times, and then the last time I cleaned it, I put it in a plastic bag that I squoze a lot of air out of, and then put in on top of some other cheeses to which I had done the same thing, and so I didn't notice the mold was growing and now it has a lot.



The thing that sort of confuses me is that sometimes people put mold on their cheeses on purpose, so maybe this is not the end of the world?

It could be worse: it could be casu marzu!

Thanks so much for your help :D
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Hande on April 17, 2012, 06:28:55 PM
Annie, I think you can try Paracoat / cream wax.
It's easy to use, first coat your up head your cheese ( over 50%) and put your fridge over night.
Next day coat rest of your cheese. If you want ripen long time, coat more layer.
Cream wax is great, it allow "breath" your cheese, and have some feature to prevent mold growth.

https://www.dairyconnection.com/commerce/catalog.jsp?catId=8 (https://www.dairyconnection.com/commerce/catalog.jsp?catId=8)

http://gnltd.co.uk/goat-nutrition/cheese-making-products/cheese-making-waxes-coatings/yellow-cheese-coating-for-cheese-making.html (http://gnltd.co.uk/goat-nutrition/cheese-making-products/cheese-making-waxes-coatings/yellow-cheese-coating-for-cheese-making.html)
I have been use that for succes  :)

Hande

Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Annie on April 17, 2012, 06:37:45 PM
Annie, I think you can try Paracoat / cream wax.
It's easy to use, first coat your up head your cheese ( over 50%) and put your fridge over night.
Next day coat rest of your cheese. If you want ripen long time, coat more layer.
Cream wax is great, it allow "breath" your cheese, and have some feature to prevent mold growth.

[url]https://www.dairyconnection.com/commerce/catalog.jsp?catId=8[/url] ([url]https://www.dairyconnection.com/commerce/catalog.jsp?catId=8[/url])

[url]http://gnltd.co.uk/goat-nutrition/cheese-making-products/cheese-making-waxes-coatings/yellow-cheese-coating-for-cheese-making.html[/url] ([url]http://gnltd.co.uk/goat-nutrition/cheese-making-products/cheese-making-waxes-coatings/yellow-cheese-coating-for-cheese-making.html[/url])
I have been use that for succes  :)

Hande

Hande,
Thank you so much! I knew people put wax on their cheeses, but I thought it was only some types that they did that with.

Hopefully this will be all I need for success ;)
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Hande on April 17, 2012, 06:58:50 PM
Yes I hate that regular wax, I mess with that everywhere >:D
With cream wax you can spread it your cheese with on hand ( with disposable glove ).

Hande
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Tomer1 on April 17, 2012, 07:22:39 PM
Putting cheese in (non vacuumed) plastic bag is a bad idea. been there done that :)    I even larded it as an extra step but it didnt make any difference. got a really strong yeasty-stinky edam that way. 

You get surface moisture+oxygen+no air circulation=perfect for mold and yeast growth. 


Another option other then cream is heat shrink bag such as
http://www.cryovac.com/en/cheese_dairy_packaging.aspx (http://www.cryovac.com/en/cheese_dairy_packaging.aspx)
   
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Annie on April 17, 2012, 07:42:56 PM
Putting cheese in (non vacuumed) plastic bag is a bad idea. been there done that :)    I even larded it as an extra step but it didnt make any difference. got a really strong yeasty-stinky edam that way. 

You get surface moisture+oxygen+no air circulation=perfect for mold and yeast growth. 

OK, I see what you are saying about the environment. I did it because the cheeses were getting so dried out :(

Quote
Another option other then cream is heat shrink bag such as
[url]http://www.cryovac.com/en/cheese_dairy_packaging.aspx[/url] ([url]http://www.cryovac.com/en/cheese_dairy_packaging.aspx[/url])
 

I think that would be great :)
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Sailor Con Queso on April 17, 2012, 07:47:19 PM
Those heat shrinking bags still need to be put in a commercial vacuum sealer first. Then you shrink the bag to make it more presentable for retail.
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Tomer1 on April 17, 2012, 08:12:13 PM
This is the commerical brand, there is also one which doesnt require vacuum.
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Tomer1 on April 17, 2012, 09:38:37 PM
This is a private video on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/11961388)

Run it to the end (10:00) , there you can see the product being used.  Its sold for around 1$\pc for 60X23cm bag.
Obviously designed for blocks...
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: DeejayDebi on April 17, 2012, 09:55:32 PM
Very nice video. I like the bags too.
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Caseus on April 18, 2012, 04:59:59 AM
That was a cool video.  And I like those bags too.
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Annie on April 18, 2012, 03:18:02 PM
Today I am going to clean out my whole "cheese cave" fridge and reorganize it, wiping it down with vinegar last to get rid of any possible mold spores that may be hanging around, and re-organizing the cheeses.

As well as making 2 batches of "easy" cheese due to a sudden influx of a tremendous amount of milk!

This weekend I will be able to get a hygrometer and many some itty-bitty thermometers since the temps vary so wildly in the fridge. And some boxes to use as cheese caves, altho I realized that the drawers in the bottom of the fridge can be used that way too :)

I saw a picture with the cheeses upright (or on their sides, don't know quite how to put that), and that will help keep things from getting too crowded.

Thanks so much for all your help: I would soooo have given up altogether without it!
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Tomer1 on April 18, 2012, 05:50:14 PM
Bleach will be more effective then vinegar if you want to sanitize it.
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Caseus on April 18, 2012, 07:02:53 PM
I empty the refigerator, turn off the power and let come to room temperature with the door open (avoids condensation), scrape or clean out dried food or other residue,  remove and wash shelves and drawers in warm water and baking soda, then wash interior of refrigerator with warm water and baking soda, and let dry, then cut back on the power, hang the shelves and drawers, and put the food back in. 

If I had serious mold or concerns about bacterial contamination, I would wash with warm water and white vinegar, or diluted bleach, then follow up with a warm water wipe down, then with a baking soda and warm water scrub.  As Tomer1 said, bleach is more effective than vinegar.  However, both vinegar and bleach have a smell that you must eliminate completely before putting the fridge back in service, or food will absorb those odors.  Bleach is particularly smelly and is more difficult than vinegar to rinse off.  Hence the final wash with warm water and baking soda.  You'll probably need extended open door airing time if you use bleach or vinegar.  And be sure to put an open box of baking soda in the fridge when you return it to service.
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Tomer1 on April 18, 2012, 09:46:56 PM
Bleach in water solution will eventually volotile as different gasses. meaning, keep the fridge open and the smell will be gone.
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Annie on April 18, 2012, 10:53:38 PM
Wow, am I ever glad I got delayed on that project!!! Otherwise I would had a bunch of awful-smelling cheese!!!

Thanks so much :)
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: DeejayDebi on April 18, 2012, 10:54:54 PM
crumpled newspaper also removes smells pretty fast.
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: Annie on April 19, 2012, 01:56:48 AM
crumpled newspaper also removes smells pretty fast.
How wonderful, something I have at home :) Thanks so much, Debi!
Title: Re: Natural Rinds, Unwanted Surface Mold - Sealing Options
Post by: DeejayDebi on April 19, 2012, 02:31:21 AM
Great for those coolers that have sat all winter and smell like a cellar! Or closed up fridges.