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The Daily Insight

What happens when you eat moldy cheese?

Author

David Jones

Published Apr 11, 2026

What happens when you eat moldy cheese?

Dangers of eating moldy cheese Molds can carry harmful bacteria, including E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella, and Brucella, all of which can cause food poisoning ( 5 , 6 ). The symptoms of food poisoning include vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea. In severe cases, it may lead to death.

Is it bad to eat cheese with mold in it?

Unfortunately, growing alongside any mold in cheese could be potentially harmful bacteria like E. coli, listeria and salmonella — the types of things that cause food recalls. These make the side effects of eating bad cheese quite serious.

What kind of body does moldy cheese have?

Many have a body that consist of root threads that invade the food it lives on, a stalk that rises above the food, and spores that form at the ends of the stalks.

Why is cheese bad for you and your health?

Regular consumers of cheese may also be at higher risk of diabetes and other similar issues. Since high sodium levels and saturated fat put people at greater risk of heart attack, cheese can increase a person’s risk significantly. 5. Cheese Making Can Be Considered Inhumane Many kinds of cheese are manufactured with rennet.

What kind of cheese is safe to eat?

“Brie and Camembert have white surface molds. Other cheeses may have an internal and a surface mold. These cheeses are safe to eat.” But mold spores can also latch onto your cheese through the air or water, where they can grow.

What are the side effects of eating moldy cheese?

“Some molds produce mycotoxins, which can make you really sick.”. According to the Mayo Clinic, if you were to eat a soft cheese with mold, you increase the risk of being exposed to foodborne pathogens such as listeria, salmonella, and E. coli that grow along with the mold.

Is it okay to eat cheese that is moldy?

Cheese is a unique food in that some types are made with mold – a fungus that’s normally best to avoid. Still, it’s important to know which types to eat, as moldy cheese can still be dangerous. Blue and soft-ripened cheeses are grown with specific molds and safe to eat.

Can you eat mozzarella cheese that has mold?

For fresh cheeses like mozzarella or ricotta, mold is an unfortunate sign that it’s time to part ways and discard your cheese. Because fresh cheeses are high in moisture, mold can spread quickly and make the cheese unsafe to eat.

Can you safely eat moldy bread or cheese?

Some mold is perfectly safe to eat and, in some cases, even desirable (the classic example would be cheeses made with mold, such as blue, Brie, Camembert, and Gorgonzola). Other molds can be quite toxic and may produce allergic reactions and respiratory problems, or produce poisonous substances called mycotoxins.