Graters

Is shredded Parmesan cheese bad if it is left out if you cook it?

I have some Parmesan cheese that has been left out. I've read different sources that say Parmesan is a type of cheese that can be left out for months and still be safe to eat. I wanted to use it in a pasta recipe where it will be cooked all the way down and indistinguishable in a sauce. Will it be really bad to eat and should I just get rid of it? I don't like wasting food but if it's that bad then I won't use it.....

Public Comments

1. No, it's fine. Most cheeses, except for soft cheeses and cream cheeses don't really need to be under constant refrigeration.
2. Parmesan cheese is aged in most case for 24 month with out refrigeration, when I was a chef, I had the opportunity to try 5 and 10 year old stuff, a bit rank but like a fine wine it improves with age, my recommendation is to add any cheese at the end with the heat off, this way it does not clump and split the sauce, as for leaving it out, we had large bowls of container in the hotel kitchen out for hours, it is a dry cheese so nothing will hurt it.