What does bad Brie smell/taste like?

Question

I've been buying the same kind of Brie every week for the past six months, but this time was different. I got it from a grocery store I've never been to before, and I live in Kenya, where it's common for power outages to knock out refrigeration for from time to time.

The cheese hasn't hit its expiration date yet, but it's more gooey than ever, with stained packaging from leaks, brown spots areas, and the smell of peanut butter. Usually, it's pretty tame and cream-colored. It's funkiness is more like bleu cheese than nuts.

I've read that Brie is rather robust when it comes to resisting harmful bacteria, and, of course, cheese is supposed to be funky! But contamination can happen. What methods can I use or sure signs can I observe to figure out whether this Brie has gone bad?

Answer 1

Use your nose. Bad cheese will smell of ammonia.

Use your finger: Brie should be firm to the touch; if it is too soft, it is too mature and will spoil soon.

If the cheese was improperly stored, then it will age and mature sooner; bad bacteria will start to grow on the cheese.

Throw it away.