White mold on outside of cream wax coating

[TailPipe]

Hello. I have a cheddar that was cream wax coasted about two weeks ago and it had developed a white mold on the outside. This happened a few days ago. I washed the coating with a vinegar salt solution and applied another layer of coating about two days ago and it started again. It's aging in a ripening box in a wine fridge at 53F. I thoroughly washed the box and sanitized as well. Any ideas what is causing or how to prevent? Thanks

[panamamike]

If it's CSK cream wax it does not have Natamycin in it. The clear and yellow does. This could be your problem. I have the red and have to clean the coating off also. I have tried 5% salution vinegar and still it won't stop it.
The mold did not penetrate into the cheese though.

[Duntov]

If it's CSK cream wax it does not have Natamycin in it. The clear and yellow does. This could be your problem. I have the red and have to clean the coating off also. I have tried 5% salution vinegar and still it won't stop it.
The mold did not penetrate into the cheese though.

All CSK colors are available with or without Natamycin.  So it depends who you get it from.

http://www.glengarrycheesemaking.on.ca/wax-and-coating/cheese-coating/cheese-coating-from-csk-holland/csk-cheese-coating-ccrt-red-25-kg-tote.html

[TailPipe]

Hi

The cream coating does have Natamycin in it. I cleaned off again with vinegar and salt solution. It happened again this week and more prolific. I have given it a good wash and am going to vac pack tonight. It smells more like a stinky cheese. Underneath it looks ok though. Any idea on cause?

Here's what it looked like today. I have anther cheddar in the same fridge and no issues yet.

Thanks for input everyone.

[panamamike]

John, thanks for catching my mistake. The two places I have dealt with did not have the red with the mold inhibitor in it. As a home cheesemaker I don't buy in that large of a quantity.

[River Bottom Farm]

Just to be clear that is a wax or a cream coat you are using? If it is wax there should be no real need for the ripening container (once the wax is applied you don't need to keep humidity up as the cheese won't dry out thru the wax). I would think if the mold is just on the surface and not on the cheese it is likely you just have too much moisture on the surface of the wax so the mold has a chance to form. Take the ripening container away or at least take the lid off it and try that for a while. If it is a cream coat the moisture loss from the cheese will be greater withiut a box but I still think you are likely to moist in the box.

[Duntov]

Just to be clear that is a wax or a cream coat you are using?

Good question because the photo looks more like a thick wax to me.

[TailPipe]

Hi all. Sorry for the confusion. It is just coating. It will breathe. But I think you are right. Probably too high humidity. I did have the lid off at the beginning but seemed too dry. I did have a lid on with moist paper towel. I think the may have been the problem. I cracked the lid on my other cheddar. Still seems ok. I am going to vac pack the one with the issues. Thanks for everyone's feedback!