Eating moldy cheese can be harmful to your health, depending on the type of cheese and the type of mold present. Soft cheeses such as cottage cheese, cream cheese, and ricotta should be discarded if they have mold on them, as should any kind of cheese thats shredded, crumbled, or sliced. Harmful bacteria such as listeria, brucella, salmonella, and E. coli can grow along with the mold, and the mold can send threads throughout the cheese, contaminating more than what is visible. Hard and semisoft cheeses such as cheddar, colby, parmesan, and Swiss can be salvaged by cutting away the molded area, along with a one-inch radius around and below the moldy spot. Eating a small amount of moldy cheese will probably not cause health problems for most people, but some possible symptoms of eating mold may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and allergic reactions. If you accidentally eat moldy cheese, you will likely not notice any issues, but it is still best to throw it out as soon as you realize it is moldy.