Histamine Tracker
Soft cheeses (varies)
Soft cheeses range from very low histamine (ricotta, cream cheese) to moderate — it depends heavily on whether they're fermented or aged.
"Soft cheese" is a broad category, and histamine potential varies more here than almost anywhere else in dairy.
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Fresh soft cheeses (ricotta, mascarpone, cream cheese) — made without significant fermentation or aging, so they're generally among the better-tolerated dairy options
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Ripened soft cheeses (brie, camembert, soft goat cheese) — these go through surface-ripening with mold cultures, which can build up more histamine than their fresh counterparts
Checking whether a soft cheese is "fresh" or "ripened/aged" on the label is one of the most useful things you can do here.
Track your reactions to soft cheeses (varies) in Histamine Tracker. Log meals and symptoms to spot the patterns that matter for your body.
For educational purposes only. Not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for personal guidance.
References
- SIGHI Food Compatibility List — SIGHI (2026)
- Histamine and histamine intolerance — Maintz & Novak (2007)
- Histamine Intolerance: The Current State of the Art — Comas-Basté et al. (2020)
- Low-Histamine Diets: Is the Exclusion of Foods Justified by Their Histamine Content? — Sánchez-Pérez et al. (2021)
- Histamine Intolerance: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Beyond — Jochum (2024)
- Guideline on management of suspected adverse reactions to ingested histamine — Reese et al. (2021)