Cheese is a food that is especially sensitive to storage conditions. It begins to dehydrate as soon as the curds and whey are separated. While a gradual loss of moisture is expected in cheeses that are aged, quality will deteriorate with rapid drying. This is especially true of younger cheeses. Many small cheese makers refrigerate their cheeses, but unfortunately this too can desiccate the cheese, making it less appetizing. In many cases the refrigeration units also have a small capacity and high energy consumption. For this reason, a complete air conditioning and humidity control system is usually installed in cheese seasoning rooms.

Cheese Storage Guidelines
Ideally, cheese should be stored in environments with a relative humidity of 80% or greater for the finished product. During curing, ordinary moderately hard cheeses made with a good deal of moisture may be kept at 86%-90% RH (relative humidity) and drier cheeses at 90%-92% RH. Higher humidity can result in undesirable fungal growth. Care should be taken to prevent condensation onto the cheese by not placing cooling units above or too close to the product. In ripening rooms, cheeses which will only be stored for a week or two may be kept at 85% RH. The cheese can also be kept for longer at lower humidity levels, but this may result in the loss of some cheese as the rind becomes thicker. Foggers or misters may be used to humidify the space. (Misters have a low capital cost.) They should be placed so as to avoid mist hitting the cheese.