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I don't know why I did this and still can't believe I did it in the first place. I was cooking yesterday and had taken out some cheddar cheese. When I went to put things away I put the cheddar cheese in a Tupperware container to put away. Instead I put the container with my cheddar cheese in a cabinet and didn't find it until this morning. The cabinet was warm. My cheese was obviously very soft to where you can see oils from the cheese.

Is my cheddar bad now? I put it in the fridge this morning trying to save it. Is it going to be safe to eat or should I throw it away?

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    Are you talking about a block of cheddar or deli slices? Was it hard/aged cheddar, or the soft, often processed cheese that is commonly sold in the US under the name "Cheddar"? – ESultanik Aug 15 '16 at 20:36
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    Just some common wisdom my mother taught me (neither of us cooking enthusiasts): "It's not worth getting sick over." ;) If you suspect it's gone bad, it's probably best not to push your luck. – jpmc26 Aug 15 '16 at 22:52
  • They just dragged up some cheese from a 17th century wreck, and found it had gone off. – rackandboneman Aug 17 '16 at 9:55
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Some cheeses can be left out without any real problems, there are some aged cheeses that I buy regularly that can sit on the counter for two weeks.. I believe that cheese was created to help preserve other foods that would go bad if left out.

I think it depends on how well the cheese was sealed. I typically seal with plastic wrap, I will cover the entire block of cheese with the wrap and ensure that it is air tight. I don't know how well your cheese was sealed but I don't know that a tupperware container is the proper way to store cheese.

I would probably still eat the cheese though, I love cheddar.

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    If the outside is a little crusty, hard, dry or otherwise off from exposure, just slice away the outside layers, re-wrap and put it in the fridge. – PoloHoleSet Aug 15 '16 at 17:22
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    Yup, should be just fine. Folks in other countries are somewhat appalled by how cold we in the USA store cheese (though cool rather than warm or cold tends to be what is preferred for cheese, and it sounds a bit warm if it got to oiling out - but no real concern.) – Ecnerwal Aug 15 '16 at 17:44
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    I wouldn't be worried about microbial spoilage -- hard cheese was invented as a way to preserve milk, after all -- but loss of quality. – Mark Aug 16 '16 at 1:25
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    @Mark, in some countries like the US, not all cheeses labeled "cheddar" are hard. Some "cheddars" are even soft, processed cheeses that are sold pre-sliced. – ESultanik Aug 16 '16 at 10:48

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