Should Parmesan Cheese Shakers Go in the Fridge? Why Some Restaurants Get It Wrong

Parmesan cheese storing habits vary wildly and we all just seem to accept it.

Come to my family's house any day of the week and you'll find a large shaker of grated Parmesan cheese nestled among the rest of the items in the fridge.

Cooking pasta is quick and easy. Not to mention having Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top can help a kid of just about any age accept they're eating spaghetti yet again because life got busy as it usually does.

Not everyone, however, shares the same grated Parmesan cheese storage methods that we have in our home. (Looking at you, pizza restaurants.)

Does Grated Parmesan Cheese Need To Be Refrigerated?

For the most part, grated Parmesan cheese from companies like Kraft along with most generic brands are available just sitting on shelves in stores. Sometimes you might find shakers in coolers, but they're mostly in the same section as the dried pasta and jars of sauce.

Allrecipies.com says while the shakers are not chilled in stores, they need to be in the fridge once they are opened in your home. The website dug up a response directly from Kraft left on a customer question on Target's website.

Kraft said in its response that grated Parmesan cheese needs to be stored at 40 degrees once opened. It should only sit out at room temp for no more than an hour.

"This makes sense if you remember that cheese, no matter how seemingly fine, is a dairy product primarily and no one likes room-temperature milk," Allrecipies.com writes.

Is It Safe To Eat Parmesan Cheese At Restaurants?

It's difficult to make one blanket statement regarding the safety of eating Parmesan cheese that sits on the table at your favorite pizza joint. Different restaurants may have different ways of storing the cheese making it impossible to give a thumbs up to all powdered Parm.

Cooklist.com recommends looking for an "off smell or change in color" to determine of the cheese is still good to eat.

READ MORE: More Than 75 Tons Of Ground Beef Recalled After Nasty Illness Spreads

"The overall texture may also change and become clumpy or slimy, which is a clear sign of spoilage," the website says.

Maybe just bring your own shaker from home the next time.