Cheese is a living product and must be handled accordingly. Too much warmth and the cheese will ripen too quickly; too cold and it becomes bitter. Once a cheese has been cut, it will not mature any further - an important rule to remember. Each Family of cheese has specific traits that will govern quality, care requirements, shelf life and storage. Proper handling, cutting, wrapping of freshly cut cheeses makes all of the difference.Below are some key facts and things to remember in general to promote overall food safety and freshness and to prevent cross contamination when cutting cheeses.

Storing

• Cheeses continue to ripen, and an ideal temperature to store cheese is between 39°F to 42°F.
• Never freeze cheese, as it permanently alters the texture.
• Arrange cheeses so they are flat. Keep older cheeses in front or on top of new ones. Do not pile cheeses too high, as their weight will crush the bottom products.
• Leave all cheeses whole until needed. Air should circulate freely around the cheese.
• Always use fresh wrapping, preferably waxed or parchment paper since the cheese needs to breathe.
• Turning cheese is an essential procedure to ensure the best tasting, freshest product possible. By turning the cheese you will help to spread the fat evenly throughout the cheese, giving a smooth, consistent flavor. Turning should be done a minimum of twice a week and ideally every other day.

Handling

• Wear head covering, apron and gloves when handling cheeses.
• Wash hands frequently and change gloves after each use. Use hand sanitizer after each washing, especially when cutting Soft- Ripened or Blue-Veined cheeses, as the molds will spread to other cheeses.
• Keep work area clean at all times.
• Wash and sanitize all utensils frequently. Immerse the utensils
  for one minute in the solution. Change the sanitizing
  solution frequently.
• Let sanitized items air dry.
• Use cleaning cloths instead of sponges
  that can harbor bacteria.