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My husband is constantly storing opened blocks of cheese in the same container as his summer sausage, also opened. He insists that they don't need to be separated and that I am being paranoid. I say he needs to dump his bachelor habits before we all get sick.
Who is right?
Summer sausage is cooked in the smoking process, and fermented, which kills bacteria and gives it a long fridge life. Some summer sausages don't even require refrigeration until opened! Wet, raw sausage, on the other hand, is asking for trouble.
I'm sure your husband will forgive your fussiness when you bring him kielbasa and a nice chunk of aged cheddar, open in the same container, and ready to munch!
I agree with Bob yet again. In fact, the cheese will probably go bad long before the sausage does, if either one lasts that long. (which if your husband is like me, won't happen.) What few organisms survive any sensible curing process are quite likely beneficial strains that improve the quality of the final product, e.g. some strains of Lactobacillus. This is all assuming sensible practices like washing hands.
