q writes:
>Mr Libido Incognito > wrote in
:
>
>> Andy wrote on 04 Jun 2006 in rec.food.cooking
>>
>>>
>>> I have a hunk of parmesan reggiano in the frige I've been using for
>>> about 6 months. No mold. Also have a new since purchased (after
>>> almost a year) peccorino romano block of cheese that hasn't molded.
>>> I've also had kraft sharp cheddar mold after two weeks. Don't know if
>>> it's the enzymes or lack of them that keeps cheese healthy.
>>>
>>> Andy
>>>
>>
>> I believe it has more to do with moisture content than enzymes. The
>> drier the cheese the longer it will stay mold free.
>
>
>Mr. Libido,
>
>That probably explains it clearer.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Andy

here's a fun science experiment ... take 10 or so cheeses that represent
a broad range of moisture contents ... you can get moisture data he
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

individually wrap a small sample of each cheese and put them all in the
fridge ... take your samples out and periodically inspect them for mold
growth ... pictures would help for comparison purposes in retrospect

less patient researchers could redesign the experiment to skip the
refrigeration step

if you want to do a prize winning experiment, also collect data such as
sodium content of the cheeses and see if that affects the results