Brie

[Babyducks]

I have an unopened package of brie. It's one of those large triangle pieces from Costco. The use by date is July 09. I just noticed this yesterday. Do I need to pitch it or can I still use it at least in a sauce or something. Any suggestions? I hate to through it out.

[monavano]

Pitch it, it's not worth taking a chance! I'm loathe to throw stuff out, and hate when I waste food, but.....

[Nyleve]

For heavens sake, don't pitch it until you've opened the packaged and checked it out. Often brie and other soft cheeses are shipped very young and can remain in quite good edible condition for long past the expiry date. It may have continued to ripen nicely in the package OR it may have gone all horrible and ammonia-ish. You'll be able to tell once you've opened it. If bad, toss. If good, enjoy

[The Professor]

No, don't pitch it! Remember in general that the "Use by" dates don't represent some mystical moment when something suddenly becomes inedible...it will vary from food to food and something like cheese (especially in an undisturbed wrapper) is very likely to be fine well beyond the date printed on the package. Nyleve is right...you'll know right away after opening the package.
Hell...I rarely even eat a container of yogurt _until_it's 2 weeks or more past date.

[BobB]

I'll break the tie here and come down on the side of "try it before you toss it." If it's soft and smells OK it's good to eat. If the cut edges appear to be moldy, trim them off and smell the interior.

[im_nomad]

doesn't the "cut the edges off" not apply to soft cheeses ? not because it's not appealing looking or not fresh, but I thought mold goes through soft cheeses in some weird way that I can't remember.

[shaogo]

An overwhelming ammonia odor will let you know whether to toss it or not.

Cheese is a very forgiving thing, particularly in an unopened package that's ostensibly relatively low in oxygen.

[Babyducks]

Thank you all for your replies. I'm not going to open to test it until I have some idea of what I'm going to do.

[cheesemaestro]

As a cheese aficionado and as someone who has sold fine cheeses for a living, I can't agree with some of the advice given by others here. Yes, some cheeses have a long shelf life, but Brie is not one of them. It's a soft cheese with a limited window of freshness. Three and half months after the expiration date stamped on the package, your cheese is far past its prime, and keeping it tightly wrapped in plastic for so long hasn't done it any favors either. Personally, I'd pitch it.

[valerie]

If it were a few weeks past the date, I'd say try it. But 3 months? I'd throw it out.

[latindancer]

Toss it.

[DallasDude]

Give it to orphans. They can make funny shapes with it.

[slewfoot]

Blind orphans make even funnier shapes.

[EWSflash]

Nooooooooooooooooo- don't toss it before you smell it! I'm guessing it's perfectly good.

[Harters]

If it is "off", it will be obvious to you once you open it.

If it was simply runny and generally free of obvious mould, then I'd eat it.

[Nyleve]

Just a quick request. Please report back on the condition of this cheese once you have opened it. If we hear nothing from you we will simply have to assume the worst.

[Babyducks]

Reporting back: I tossed it without opening. Too chicken.

[Nyleve]

Well, ok. But just in the interests of science and morbid curiosity, we would have loved to know. Oh well.

[monavano]

Thanks for reporting back. I'd do the same thing at 3 months past the due date. The risk/benefit ratio just isn't worth it to me.

[The Professor]

I doubt sincerely that there was much risk involved here.
Whatever...gotta do what's within your own comfort level.

[Veggo]

When overripe brie turns sort of an odd tan color and is ammoniated, I think it tastes pretty good.