You know what will stop you in your tracks when scrolling through Instagram? A block of moldy cheese. It’s a tragedy to behold — one I’ve witnessed in my own fridge quite a few times after neglecting a Swiss or Gruyère — and it turns out, a fairly controversial situation. 

When popular podiatrist influencer Dr. Dana Brems (@footdocdana) posted a video of herself reviewing another content creator’s reel, in which cheese expert Erika Kubick (@cheeses3xdeath) proclaims that you can cut a lot of mold off of the dairy product and eat the rest, she debunked the latter’s claims. But Brems’ audience had a wide range of responses, with some vehemently agreeing that you can’t eat cheese after removing mold from it, and others wondering why they should listen to a podiatrist about food safety.

I’ve seen questions about whether or not it’s safe to eat cheese after you cut mold off of it crop up on social media before, and Kubick’s initial video went viral about two years ago (in fact, her TikTok caused so much controversy that she’s since deleted it). And, of course, it’s something I’ve wondered in my own life; do I actually need to toss that entire block of cheese?

To find out what’s true, whether you can just remove the mold from cheese, and if so, when you can do it, I consulted a few experts.

Is cheese with mold on it safe to eat?

There isn’t a straightforward answer here; there are times when it’s okay to simply cut the mold off cheese and eat the remainder of the block, and times when it isn’t. It’s important to know when and how you can cut mold off of cheese because, as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) points out, some molds can cause allergic reactions, respiratory problems, or in rare cases produce toxins that make you sick. Mold growth might be a sign that bacteria is also present. If you accidentally eat mold, you’ll very likely be fine, so don’t panic. But choosing to avoid it is the wisest course of action.

A discerning consumer should not be inherently scared by the word “mold.” Just like with bacteria, there are good and bad ones. Friendly fungi are involved in the making of many different cheeses, and as Dr. Samuel Alcaine, an associate professor of food science at Cornell University, noted for Food & Wine, “Molds are an important part of cheese… sometimes for good and sometimes for bad.” 

This doesn’t just apply to the obvious options, like blue cheese. For example, the signature bloomy rind of Brie or Camembert is made from Penicillium candidum mold and is entirely safe to eat — it’s what gives these cheeses their signature flavor. 

However, if you see any type of mold growing on a cheese that you know is not supposed to be there, you at least shouldn’t eat that area. Molds that don’t belong will be immediately apparent on most items; think of blue spots, discoloration that appears on uniformly colored cheeses like Swiss or mozzarella, or any growth that wasn’t there when you purchased it. 

When it comes to products that are meant to have mold, Alcaine says you’ll need to be careful, explaining that “If it’s a cheese with intentional mold it takes a little judgment. The mold used for most Brie is white, so if you see blue or green fuzz, that is unintentional mold and you should throw it away.” And if you’re unsure, it’s best to err on the side of caution.

The good news is that unwelcome mold doesn’t always mean you have to throw the entire cheese out. In some scenarios you can cut off the moldy spots and eat the rest of the ingredient, but whether or not this is safe depends on a few factors: what type of cheese it is, how much mold is on it, and how much you cut off.

Which types of cheese can you cut mold off of?

In her video, Brems compares mold on cheese to an iceberg. In addition to the visible mold on the surface, there is also mycelium — a network of fungal strands — that you can’t see, permeating into the cheese. Because of this, only hard cheeses like cheddar, Manchego, Swiss, or Parmigiano Reggiano can be salvaged if they have mold growth.

Dr. Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, a director and professor at the University of Georgia Center for Food Safety, told Food & Wine that “The reason why only hard cheeses can be salvaged after mold growth is because the mold’s mycelium cannot penetrate very deep and toxins produced by the mold do not diffuse beyond because of the lack of moisture.”

On the opposite end of the cheese spectrum, Diez-Gonzalez also said “In the case of soft cheeses, the moisture allows the mycelium to grow deeper and toxins are released more broadly to the product,” meaning you cannot eliminate the mold from any soft cheeses, like ricotta, cottage cheese, mascarpone, goat cheese, or feta.

So you can probably keep that wedge of Monterey Jack, but toss the moldy mozzarella.

How do you cut mold off of cheese?

The rule of thumb to remember is that you need to remove at least one inch of the cheese beneath the mold. This is again because of the mycelium; you must make sure you’re cutting out enough cheese so that all of the fungi’s hyphae and any potential toxins are eliminated.

In the video that Brems reviews, Kubick is shown slicing thin layers of mold off of a block of cheddar that’s covered in fuzzy matter. Unfortunately this isn’t likely to effectively remove all of the contamination. According to Diez-Gonzalez, “If the surface is entirely covered by mold or if the piece of cheese is too small to be able to cut one inch below the surface with mold growth,” then you can’t securely remove all of the mold, and it’s time to throw the cheese in the trash.

How do you prevent a cheese from molding?

If you want to ensure your cheese maintains its ideal flavor and doesn’t mold as quickly, then consider plastic wrap your enemy. Plastic can trap moisture inside along with the cheese, allowing either mold or bacteria to grow more easily. Instead, choose a storage material like parchment paper, a cheese wrap, or a cheese bag that will allow the product to breathe.

When possible, avoid touching the cheese with your bare hands. Even if you’ve washed them, your hands can transfer bacteria that encourage mold to grow. You should also use a new wrapper every time you unwrap the cheese and put it back in the refrigerator for the same reason — keeping its packaging clean will help keep the cheese’s surface as clean as possible.