Fresh cheeses spoil much faster than aged cheddar or hard parmesan. An unopened tub of Happy Farms ricotta will keep in the coldest section of your refrigerator until the stamped date on the container rim. That printed shelf life drops dramatically once you peel back the heat-sealed plastic film.
Once exposed to air, consume the ricotta within five to seven days. Keep your eye out for subtle spoilage signs. Because ricotta has a naturally mild, sweet-milk fragrance, sour fermentation smells indicate active bacterial growth. Visual indicators include pinkish or yellow discoloration along the edges and small flecks of gray mold on the inner lid. Discard the tub immediately if either appears.
Freezing opened ricotta directly in its container rarely works well. The water and milk solids separate during freezing, forming hard ice crystals that rupture the delicate protein network. Upon thawing, the cheese turns grainy, watery, and spongy. If you must freeze it, incorporate the ricotta into an assembled, unbaked pasta casserole first. Freezing the cheese inside a sauce-and-pasta matrix protects its structural integrity far better than freezing the naked tub.
