This mold, appreciated by gourmets, appears thanks to a special fungus
Photo: GLOBAL LOOK PRESS
“What if you got moldy?” – French cheesemakers cry in despair when they see that the world-famous Camembert cheese stops covering itself with its characteristic white rind when it matures. This mold, appreciated by gourmets, appears thanks to a special fungus with the misleading Latin name Penicillium camemberti. That’s where the problem arose with him.
Classic Camembert has a white or light creamy color. Of course, you can use gray, green and even orange mold, but in some ways it is not comme il faut: why break the canons? Therefore, the French, scorning accusations of “cheese racism”, abandoned all other colors and began to grow only white, moldy “clothes”. And they went too far! The albino mushroom, which was “introduced” exclusively among its relatives, soon began to degenerate from such incest and almost lost its ability to reproduce. A little more, and it may cease to exist altogether, taking the delicious white mold with it into oblivion. By the way, not only Camembert will suffer, but also Roquefort, where this mushroom is also used.
Scientists believe that there is only one way out: to force fungi to enter into intermarriages. In scientific terms, diversify reproduction between individuals with different genomes. Of course, the cheeses will have a mestizo and mulatto appearance, but the unforgettable aroma and taste will remain the same.
