why does butter last longer than cheese?

Quoted message said:

Hi all, a couple of sunday morning ponderings for you if I may.

once you have broken the seal on a packet of cheese, it generally goes
off in a few weeks, whereas butter will last months (maybe a year) in
the fridge before it's inedible. but they're both made of basically the
same thing. how does this work?

also, milk lasts even less long than either butter or cheese - how
come?

Andy

related:
http://bioteach.ubc.ca/Bioengineering/FoodMicrobiology/index.htm

"dee" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Hi all, a couple of sunday morning ponderings for you if I may.

once you have broken the seal on a packet of cheese, it generally goes
off in a few weeks, whereas butter will last months (maybe a year) in
the fridge before it's inedible. but they're both made of basically the
same thing. how does this work?

also, milk lasts even less long than either butter or cheese - how
come?

Andy

related:
http://bioteach.ubc.ca/Bioengineering/FoodMicrobiology/index.htm

Thank you for that, it is most interesting but I can't actually see the
answer to the question above. I may be missing something and I would be
grateful if you could point it out?

O

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

once you have broken the seal on a packet of cheese, it generally goes
off in a few weeks, whereas butter will last months (maybe a year) in
the fridge before it's inedible. but they're both made of basically the
same thing. how does this work?

It has to do with milk solids, which go bad quickly.
Butter has very few milk solids, it's almost pure fat, while cheese is
mostly milk solids. Hence cheese goes bad much faster.
Milk goes bad even faster than cheese because it's not as dense as
cheese, and bacteria can infiltrate much more easily.

Abe <[email hidden]> wrote in news:4ec58297i4l9vqnotk7tklocfupc0j2vub@
4ax.com:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

once you have broken the seal on a packet of cheese, it generally goes
off in a few weeks, whereas butter will last months (maybe a year) in
the fridge before it's inedible. but they're both made of basically the
same thing. how does this work?

It has to do with milk solids, which go bad quickly.
Butter has very few milk solids, it's almost pure fat, while cheese is
mostly milk solids. Hence cheese goes bad much faster.
Milk goes bad even faster than cheese because it's not as dense as
cheese, and bacteria can infiltrate much more easily.

I have a hunk of parmesan reggiano in the frige I've been using for about
6 months. No mold. Also have a new since purchased (after almost a year)
peccorino romano block of cheese that hasn't molded. I've also had kraft
sharp cheddar mold after two weeks. Don't know if it's the enzymes or
lack of them that keeps cheese healthy.

Andy

Andy wrote on 04 Jun 2006 in rec.food.cooking

Quoted message said:

I have a hunk of parmesan reggiano in the frige I've been using for
about 6 months. No mold. Also have a new since purchased (after almost
a year) peccorino romano block of cheese that hasn't molded. I've also
had kraft sharp cheddar mold after two weeks. Don't know if it's the
enzymes or lack of them that keeps cheese healthy.

Andy

I believe it has more to do with moisture content than enzymes. The drier
the cheese the longer it will stay mold free.

--
-Alan

q said:

Mr Libido Incognito <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Andy wrote on 04 Jun 2006 in rec.food.cooking

Quoted message said:

I have a hunk of parmesan reggiano in the frige I've been using for
about 6 months. No mold. Also have a new since purchased (after
almost a year) peccorino romano block of cheese that hasn't molded.
I've also had kraft sharp cheddar mold after two weeks. Don't know if
it's the enzymes or lack of them that keeps cheese healthy.

Andy

I believe it has more to do with moisture content than enzymes. The
drier the cheese the longer it will stay mold free.

Mr. Libido,

That probably explains it clearer.

Thanks,

Andy

here's a fun science experiment ... take 10 or so cheeses that represent
a broad range of moisture contents ... you can get moisture data here:
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

individually wrap a small sample of each cheese and put them all in the
fridge ... take your samples out and periodically inspect them for mold
growth ... pictures would help for comparison purposes in retrospect

less patient researchers could redesign the experiment to skip the
refrigeration step

if you want to do a prize winning experiment, also collect data such as
sodium content of the cheeses and see if that affects the results

"Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:1149429942.026449.285760
@c74g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

Quoted message said:

in fact there is milk that
is super pasteurized and remains fresh many months and without
refrigeration.

You're talking about evaporated fat-free milk. No refrigeration needed. I
enjoy my mini shredded wheat with a chilled cup of it.

A little high in sugar, but a super potassium, vitamin A & D and calcium
boost.

More nutrious than any other milk, from my study.

Andy

dee said:

Quoted message said:

also, milk lasts even less long than either butter or cheese - how
come?

Andy

related:
http://bioteach.ubc.ca/Bioengineering/FoodMicrobiology/index.htm

Boy that is more than I want to know about why I have to buy cheese more often. 🙂

Ophelia said:

"dee" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Hi all, a couple of sunday morning ponderings for you if I may.

once you have broken the seal on a packet of cheese, it generally goes
off in a few weeks, whereas butter will last months (maybe a year) in
the fridge before it's inedible. but they're both made of basically the
same thing. how does this work?

also, milk lasts even less long than either butter or cheese - how
come?

Andy

related:
http://bioteach.ubc.ca/Bioengineering/FoodMicrobiology/index.htm

Thank you for that, it is most interesting but I can't actually see the
answer to the question above. I may be missing something and I would be
grateful if you could point it out?

O

just related 🙂

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Terry said:

dee said:

Quoted message said:

also, milk lasts even less long than either butter or cheese - how
come?

Andy

related:
http://bioteach.ubc.ca/Bioengineering/FoodMicrobiology/index.htm

Boy that is more than I want to know about why I have to buy cheese more often. 🙂

....the bacteria.. tastes goooooood 🙂)))

"dee" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ophelia said:

"dee" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] wrote:
> Hi all, a couple of sunday morning ponderings for you if I may.
>
> once you have broken the seal on a packet of cheese, it generally goes
> off in a few weeks, whereas butter will last months (maybe a year) in
> the fridge before it's inedible. but they're both made of basically
> the
> same thing. how does this work?
>
> also, milk lasts even less long than either butter or cheese - how
> come?
>
> Andy

related:
http://bioteach.ubc.ca/Bioengineering/FoodMicrobiology/index.htm

Thank you for that, it is most interesting but I can't actually see the
answer to the question above. I may be missing something and I would be
grateful if you could point it out?

O

just related 🙂

Ok🙂)

Andy said:

Sheldon said:

in fact there is milk that
is super pasteurized and remains fresh many months and without
refrigeration.

You're talking about evaporated fat-free milk.

Nope, regular whole milk in a box.

Andy, you'd be very dangerous in the food industry, you know absolutely
Zero about food/cooking.... nothing but disgusting germ laden spittle
comes out of your rectum, shut it, Andy... no way can you be more than
8 years old... do you always just spew before engaging your brain or
are you brain damaged.

Andy, you're a troll, you're as ignorant as the rest of the spate of
recently arrived newbie trolls... know-nothings who will never know
anything.

http://www.diversifiedfoods.com/DFI_BordenUHTmilk.htm

Sheldon

"Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:1149435935.631741.7470
@j55g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Quoted message said:

Andy said:

Sheldon said:

in fact there is milk that
is super pasteurized and remains fresh many months and without
refrigeration.

You're talking about evaporated fat-free milk.

Nope, regular whole milk in a box.

Andy, you'd be very dangerous in the food industry, you know

absolutely

Quoted message said:

Zero about food/cooking.... nothing but disgusting germ laden spittle
comes out of your rectum, shut it, Andy... no way can you be more than
8 years old... do you always just spew before engaging your brain or
are you brain damaged.

Andy, you're a troll, you're as ignorant as the rest of the spate of
recently arrived newbie trolls... know-nothings who will never know
anything.

http://www.diversifiedfoods.com/DFI_BordenUHTmilk.htm

Sheldon

I'm not impressed. Play with your own kind, moron!

Andy

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

Hi all, a couple of sunday morning ponderings for you if I may.

once you have broken the seal on a packet of cheese, it generally goes
off in a few weeks, whereas butter will last months (maybe a year) in
the fridge before it's inedible. but they're both made of basically the
same thing. how does this work?

also, milk lasts even less long than either butter or cheese - how
come?

Andy

Cheese has more available nutrients. Protein and lactose.

Butter is pretty much pure fat. And it's preserved with salt on top of
that. Not a lot of critters can metabolized that in the way of fungus
and bacteria. Too bad humans are not that way eh? <G>

Frozen butter keeps for years, and freezing cheese preserves it longer
as well but renders it only good for cooking, texture-wise.
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article said:

Abe <[email hidden]> wrote in news:4ec58297i4l9vqnotk7tklocfupc0j2vub@
4ax.com:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

once you have broken the seal on a packet of cheese, it generally goes
off in a few weeks, whereas butter will last months (maybe a year) in
the fridge before it's inedible. but they're both made of basically the
same thing. how does this work?

It has to do with milk solids, which go bad quickly.
Butter has very few milk solids, it's almost pure fat, while cheese is
mostly milk solids. Hence cheese goes bad much faster.
Milk goes bad even faster than cheese because it's not as dense as
cheese, and bacteria can infiltrate much more easily.

I have a hunk of parmesan reggiano in the frige I've been using for about
6 months. No mold. Also have a new since purchased (after almost a year)
peccorino romano block of cheese that hasn't molded. I've also had kraft
sharp cheddar mold after two weeks. Don't know if it's the enzymes or
lack of them that keeps cheese healthy.

Andy

I have a small, rock hard piece of parmesan cheese in the butter keeper
that is going on 6 years and has never, ever molded or gone rancid. ;-)

it's very, very rich and a little goes a long way......

I originally paid 12.00 per lb. for it.

I keep it with no wrapping or anything.
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]"
-- Jack Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote

Quoted message said:

I have a small, rock hard piece of parmesan cheese in the butter
keeper that is going on 6 years and has never, ever molded or gone
rancid. ;-)

it's very, very rich and a little goes a long way......

I originally paid 12.00 per lb. for it.

I keep it with no wrapping or anything.

Om,

What a relief!!! Here I thought I had freak blocks of cheese!!!

--JUST KIDDING--

All the best,

Andy

In article said:

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote

Quoted message said:

I have a small, rock hard piece of parmesan cheese in the butter
keeper that is going on 6 years and has never, ever molded or gone
rancid. ;-)

it's very, very rich and a little goes a long way......

I originally paid 12.00 per lb. for it.

I keep it with no wrapping or anything.

Om,

What a relief!!! Here I thought I had freak blocks of cheese!!!

<grinz>

Mutant cheese......

Quoted message said:

--JUST KIDDING--

All the best,

Andy

Seriously, that 6 years was not a typo.
What is the oldest cheese in your 'frige?
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]"
-- Jack Nicholson

"Mr Libido Incognito" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Andy wrote on 04 Jun 2006 in rec.food.cooking

Quoted message said:

I have a hunk of parmesan reggiano in the frige I've been using for
about 6 months. No mold. Also have a new since purchased (after almost
a year) peccorino romano block of cheese that hasn't molded. I've also
had kraft sharp cheddar mold after two weeks. Don't know if it's the
enzymes or lack of them that keeps cheese healthy.

Andy

I believe it has more to do with moisture content than enzymes. The drier
the cheese the longer it will stay mold free.

--
-Alan

Since air contains moisture, and since I have a foodsaver vacuum, there is
not a cheese that is opened in my house that isn't vacuumed.
We use several pounds of peccorino romano a month. DH loves that cheese.
Last night we had it as a snack with a home-made ciabatta and wine while
watching a DVD. Better than tater chips, cheese chips, etc. for us. (Yes,
I limit my wine -- darn it!)
Dee Dee

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

Hi all, a couple of sunday morning ponderings for you if I may.

once you have broken the seal on a packet of cheese, it generally goes
off in a few weeks, whereas butter will last months (maybe a year) in
the fridge before it's inedible. but they're both made of basically the
same thing. how does this work?

also, milk lasts even less long than either butter or cheese - how
come?

Andy

Cheese has more available nutrients. Protein and lactose.

Butter is pretty much pure fat. And it's preserved with salt on top of
that. Not a lot of critters can metabolized that in the way of fungus
and bacteria. Too bad humans are not that way eh? <G>

Frozen butter keeps for years, and freezing cheese preserves it longer
as well but renders it only good for cooking, texture-wise.

This has been immensely informative to me. Around here a pound of butter
rarely lasts more than a month. It's unsalted and unused sticks are kept
in a burped ziploc type bag in the fridge to prevent cross contamination
from other smelly things that might be in the fridge at any given time.