Cheese molds and baking

[memnarch]

Is it safe to use shredded Mozzarella cheese that has a very small amount of mold growing in it on something like a pizza? I've read that one should always throw it out if it is slightly moldy, but it seems like people are talking about not baking it at 350+ degrees F.

[Jack Squat]

Even after the mold is dead, the spores remain behind. Best bet is to toss it, but I imagine you wouldn't be any worse for the wear if you just remove the moldy bit.

[Ravens_cry]

Even after the mold is dead, the spores remain behind. Best bet is to toss it, but I imagine you wouldn't be any worse for the wear if you just remove the moldy bit.
Actually. .no. You see, the fuzzy bit is just the part we can see. Cell thick strands likely permeate the entire cheese. And the mould has an interest in keeping the food to itself so they release toxins to keep other critters at bay. Hard cheeses you can just cut about an inch around the visibly affected part, but softer cheeses like mozzarellas it's a good idea just to toss.

[Quincunx]

I'd toss it. Shredded cheese isn't easy to trim, or to peel apart if it's melted all together, or otherwise to resuscitate if it suffered a storage mishap. On the other hand, if the 'powder' upon it is purely white, that might be the anti-caking agent and not mold.

Also, common food molds taste awful. Better to chuck just the cheese than to hype yourself up to a delicious pizza and then bite into nastiness, ruining cheese, sauce, base, and your anticipation.

[memnarch]

It hasn't been cooked in the oven yet, so it's not melted together. I think I will get new cheese though. Pizza's on another night then.