How to store ricotta
Best place: the fridge. USDA gives ricotta a fridge time (2 weeks, from the package date) and no pantry time, so it belongs in the fridge as soon as you get home.
No guideline
2 weeks
from the package date; after opening: 1 week
Not recommended
How to tell ricotta has gone bad
General signs for dairy products & eggs, the group USDA lists ricotta under.
- Sour, sharp smell from milk or yogurt that was mild before
- Mould on cheese that is not part of the recipe
- Eggs that float in a bowl of water instead of sinking
- Slimy or watery texture on soft cheese or yogurt
- Yellowing or watery separation showing up in milk
More on dairy products & eggs. The times above are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
Storage habits that make the difference
Keep dairy and eggs in the coldest part of the fridge, not the door, at 40 F (4 C) or below. Store eggs in their original carton to protect them and track the date. Reseal cheese tightly in wax paper or a container, and keep milk capped between pours.
How to store other dairy products & eggs
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). How we decode the data.