Even though Trader Joe’s features only around 4,000 items, you will be able to find practically anything you can think of in the store. Unpasteurized cheese or cheese made with raw milk is no exception.
Trader Joe’s has a wide cheese selection, including raw cheeses, so everyone would be able to find something to their liking.
What Is So Special About Trader Joe’s?
Trader Joe’s is an American chain of neighborhood grocery stores that sell a wide range of unique products at reasonable prices.
Here are a few other reasons why Trader Joe’s is incredibly popular:
- The stores have plenty of products that can meet specific dietary needs
At Trader Joe’s, you don’t feel left out like in many other stores. Whether you’re looking for kosher, vegan, or gluten-free options – Trader Joe’s has it all.
- The stores have a cool atmosphere
Trader Joe’s is aiming to make your shopping experience as fun and exciting as possible. It shouldn’t be just another boring chore that you have to tick off your list. Every store features themed décor and all the employees wear bright shirts.
Trader Joe’s is also known for its bell system – instead of using a phone, the employees would use bell signals to indicate that another register needs to be open or that the manager’s help is required.
- The stores have a no-questions-asked return policy
As some of the foods sold at Trader Joe’s are quite unique, the company is happy to give you the opportunity to try out the products at home, and then take them back and get a refund, if you didn’t like the flavor.
What Is Unpasteurized Cheese?
Unpasteurized, or raw milk, cheese is made from milk that has not been pasteurized. This means that the milk has not been heated to a specific temperature to kill harmful bacteria.
Do bear in mind that unpasteurized cheese cannot be sold in the United States unless it has been aged for at least 60 days.
The Food and Drug Administration believes that after two months the salts and acids in the product would be able to naturally prevent various harmful types of bacteria from growing.
In general, such cheeses as camembert, brie, feta, gorgonzola, and Mexican cheeses are unpasteurized.
To check the current price and availability of igourmet Raw Milk French Raclette Cheese, click here to view the listing on Amazon
The Pros ; Cons of Unpasteurized Cheese
Pros
- A lot of cheese experts are convinced that pasteurization kills the aromas and flavors that make amazing cheese.
- Unpasteurized cheese sold in the US is completely safe to consume as it has been aged for about 2 months. This would be enough for the processes that naturally occur in the cheese to start destroying the harmful bacteria that might have been present in the unpasteurized milk.
Cons
- There are many wonderful artisanal cheeses made out of pasteurized milk. So, it’s all a matter of personal preference.
- Unpasteurized cheese might be harmful if it is consumed only a few weeks after it has been made. As the product doesn’t get heated up, various bacteria can continue to live and multiply in the cheese for about 2 months until the salts and acids start destroying the microorganisms.
- Unpasteurized cheeses have a shorter shelf life.
- Infants and young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and the immunocompromised (those who have received organ transplants or cancer treatment or people with HIV) should not consume unpasteurized cheese.
Is Unpasteurized Cheese Available at Trader Joe’s?
Trader Joe’s has an amazing cheese selection. And the best part is that no matter what side you have decided to take in this ‘pasteurized’ debate, you will always be able to find something to your liking in the store.
You can easily find out what unpasteurized cheeses are available in your local store if you pay a visit to the official website. Or you can always ask one of the friendly employees at Trader Joe’s to help you out – they are extremely knowledgeable about everything that is offered in the store.
Does Trader Joe’s Sell Unpasteurized Cheese?
Any unpasteurized cheese that is sold at Trader Joe’s has ‘raw milk’ written on the label in big letters. So, you can’t really go wrong, no matter what type of cheese you’re looking for.
Bear in mind that even though some cheeses (like brie, camembert, queso blanco, and so on) are traditionally made out of unpasteurized milk that is not always the case with Trader Joe’s.
Even the cheeses that they import from Europe can be made out of pasteurized milk. That’s why it’s important to pay extra attention to the label and the ingredients list.
If you’re looking for unpasteurized cheese, the label would, most likely, say ‘raw milk’ and either unpasteurized or raw milk will be mentioned in the ingredients list. The labels also say for how long the cheese has been aged.
Trader Joe’s usually has Chiave d’Oro Raw Milk Hard Cheese (but it’s not available at the moment) and Raw Milk Cave Aged le Gruyere ($15.99 per pound).
Where Else to Find Unpasteurized Cheese?
Usually, Trader Joe’s does have a few unpasteurized cheeses for you to choose from, but if you’re looking for a greater variety, you can always find plenty of options in specialty cheese shops or online.
Igourmet.com and Amazon.com have a wide range of raw-milk cheeses for you to choose from.
You will also find unpasteurized cheese at Walmart, Target, and Ralph’s. All of them are labeled as ‘raw’.
Of course, the prices for various cheeses would differ a lot. When it comes to quality, though you certainly might be able to find high-quality gourmet cheese in huge stores, you might want to prioritize shopping at specialty cheese shops if you’re looking for something extra special.
Final Thoughts
Trader Joe’s usually has at least a couple of unpasteurized cheeses presented at the stores. So, if you’re someone who likes these types of cheeses, look for the word ‘raw’ on the label or ask one of the staff members for help.
As all the unpasteurized cheeses at Trader Joe’s have been aged for at least 60 days, they are perfectly safe to be consumed by healthy adults.