At a glance:
- Cheese must be stored below 5°C to stay out of the temperature danger zone and minimise bacterial growth.
- Store cheese above raw foods and use dedicated containers to prevent cross-contamination.
- Proper wrapping, labelling, and FIFO stock rotation help extend shelf life and ensure safe use in high-volume kitchens.
- Clean, calibrated refrigeration is essential for compliance and maintaining food quality in commercial food service settings.
Cheese might be the crowd-pleaser on your menu, but behind the scenes, it’s a high-maintenance ingredient. It requires proper handling, precise temperature control, and compliance with national food safety standards. And with increased scrutiny from health inspectors and rising diner expectations around food safety, how you store cheese can directly affect your bottom line.
Whether you run a busy pub kitchen, a restaurant, or a high-volume café, knowing how to store cheese correctly in line with Australian regulations is essential. This guide breaks down the essentials of cheese storage for food service, based on best practices and key regulations from Australian health and food safety guidelines.
Store Cheese Below 5°C
According to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), perishable foods like cheese must be stored at or below 5°C to prevent bacterial growth. Once you enter the temperature danger zone (5°C to 60°C), you create ideal conditions for pathogens to multiply, especially for soft or fresh cheeses with a higher moisture content.
In a food service setting, where cheeses are frequently taken out, portioned, or held during preparation, it’s crucial to keep handling time to a minimum and return unused cheese to the refrigerator immediately.
Prevent Cross-Contamination
As outlined in Better Health Channel’s food safety guidelines, raw foods should always be stored below ready-to-eat items like cheese to prevent contamination from drips or spills. Proper separation and storage order of ingredients are essential in preventing foodborne illness in commercial kitchens.
Here are some separation protocols that you can follow:
- Store cheese above raw meat, poultry, and seafood to prevent meat juices from dripping down and contaminating cheese.
- Use dedicated food storage containers to store cheese once you open the package.
- It’s ideal to store soft cheeses like mozzarella separately from hard cheeses such as parmesan shaved cheese, shredded gouda cheese, and others, with soft cheeses placed below hard cheeses in the fridge.
- Avoid stacking different cheeses unless individually packaged.
- Always use clean knives and tools when cutting or handling cheese to stop bacteria from spreading.
Use the Right Wrapping and Containers
Poor wrapping can degrade cheese quickly. Steer clear of plastic wrap as it traps moisture and accelerates spoilage. Use wax or parchment paper instead and place the cheese in loosely sealed containers to maintain airflow. For soft cheeses, airtight containers work best to preserve moisture and prevent contamination.
This practice isn’t just about quality and food safety. It also helps extend shelf life and reduce food waste, which is especially important in high-turnover commercial kitchens.
Proper packaging is part of safe cheese handling. Even if FSANZ does not explicitly outline it, it’s widely accepted across food service operations as best practice.
Track Use-By and Best-Before Dates
Understanding the difference between a use-by date and a best-before date is critical. A use-by date means the cheese is no longer safe to serve after that point, even if it looks and smells fine. A best-before date refers to the date until which the cheese remains in optimal quality, but it may still be usable after the date.
Once the package is opened, it should be re-labelled with a secondary in-house expiry date to guide team members and rotate stock using FIFO (First In, First Out) to reduce the risk of wastage. It’s especially important in commercial kitchens when buying cheese in bulk or using partial quantities over several days.
Maintain a Clean, Calibrated Refrigeration
Even if your cheese is wrapped correctly and stored cold, it means little if your refrigeration isn’t up to standard. FSANZ stresses the importance of keeping commercial fridges clean and calibrated. Record fridge temperatures daily and service equipment regularly to avoid costly breakdowns or compliance breaches.
It’s easy to overlook the performance of equipment in busy kitchens, but it can be costly to do so. Inspect door seals, shelving, and storage containers to ensure cleanliness and eliminate hidden contamination risks, which is a vital step in meeting food safety standards in Australia.
As the use of cheese continues to rise in commercial kitchens, the need for properly storing it also rises. By storing cheese below 5°C, preventing cross-contamination, monitoring shelf life, and maintaining clean refrigeration, you not only meet food safety standards but also ensure your food quality stays consistent and safe.
And when sourcing reliable, performance-ready food service cheese, always choose a supplier that understands the operational demands of commercial kitchens. Because the safety of your dishes begins at the source of your ingredients.