AboutCarol Schlitt Expertise I can answer questions on home food safety, sanitation, home food preservation and commercial food safety (HACCP).
Experience I am an Extension educator, nutrition, wellness and food safety. I am a certified HACCP manager and a food safety instructor for the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Organizations International Association for Food Protection, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (Certified CFCS), National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Society for Nutrition Education.
Education/Credentials BS - University of Illinois
MS - Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
I am wondering if goat cheese submerged in olive oil is safe out of refrigeration for a few hours. This is to be sold in a farmers market situation. The cheese is in very cold refrigeration before and after the market. I've seen feta cubes packed in oil on the shelf in my local stores and am wondering if goat cheese can be treated the same way. What is the time and temperature safety zone for this product?
Thanks so much!
ANSWER: Hi Valerie,
First, you need to check with the Farmer's Market you are considering selling your product as to whether it is even allowed by the health department to be sold.
If it is allowed to be sold, your local health department will specify how the item is to be handled during the market operation. My best guess is that they will require constant refrigeration.
So...contact your local health department for guidance on whether your product can be sold at the Farmer's Market.
Good luck,
Carol
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Actually, I'm own a licensed, Grade A dairy and processing plant. I'm inspected by the USDA and the FDA. My question is more to the safety of cheese in oil. I've read that garlic in oil (for instance) is a source of botulism, presumably from the water (?) content. My understanding is that the the cheese is in an anaerobic situation in the oil, thus helping to prevent spoilage. Considering the fact that I can age cheeses at room temperature to allow mold ripening, I'm guessing that the cheese in oil could be allowed a certain amount of time out of refrigeration. If the local folks had an answer as to the safety, I wouldn't be asking. We are all looking for the chemistry at play.
Thanks so much,
Val
Answer Hi Valerie,
Thanks for the follow-up and clarification of your question.
Garlic in oil is a risk for botulism because of the possibility of the garlic to harbor botulism spores. Botulism is found in the ground and foods grown in the ground can be carriers of this deadily toxin. Fortunately, the spore ONLY becomes potentially deadly when placed with a food of a pH above 4.6 and in an anerobic environment. Placing garlic (a potential carrier of botulism with a pH above 4.6) in oil (and anerobic environment) can be the perfect environment for a botulism spore to vegetate.
Processed cheese prepared in an inspected plant, such as yours, is not a likely candidate for botulism (at least I'm not aware of botulism as a problem with cheese and dairy processing plants) Bacteria that is more associated with milk and milk products include Bacillus cereus,Listeria monocytogenes,Yersinia enterocolitica, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Campylobacter jejuni.
Valeria -- where are you located? If you will send me your state I will be happy to provide you with a university contact in your state or geographic area that will hopefully be able to answer your specific question.
