You cannot safely eat moldy cream cheese. Unlike hard cheeses, soft cheeses like cream cheese are moist and porous, allowing mold to spread invisibly beneath the surface. Scraping off visible mold doesn’t eliminate the risk, as harmful bacteria like Listeria, Salmonella, or E. coli can also thrive, posing serious health risks, especially for pregnant women or those with weakened immunity. The USDA advises discarding the entire

product if mold appears, as it’s unsafe even if only a small area is affected. For prevention, store cream cheese tightly sealed in the coldest part of the fridge, use clean utensils, and check expiration dates. In contrast, hard cheeses like cheddar can be salvaged by cutting away at least an inch around the mold. If you see green fuzz on your cream cheese, toss it and opt for a safer alternative like peanut butter.