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Food & Drink


IT’S A CATASTRO-BRIE! WHY YOUR FAVORITE CHEESE MIGHT BE IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION

By Brooke Steinberg

Published Feb. 15, 2024
Updated Feb. 15, 2024, 11:18 a.m. ET

It’s not looking gouda for the fate of these cheeses.

Certain French fromages are under threat of extinction due to a lack of
microbial diversity, experts say, with varieties of brie, blue and the
infamously stinky Camembert topping the high-risk list, according to the French
National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).

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“It’s very important to preserve diversity, even in microorganisms, and in
particular in those we use for making food,” Jeanne Ropars, a research scientist
specializing in evolutionary genetics and ecology at the French National Center
for Scientific Research, told Culture magazine.

Camembert gets its white mold exterior from Penicillium camemberti — a
microorganism now under threat due to a lack of biodiversity in cheesemaking.
BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Milk market news site US Dairy explains that most natural cheeses are made from
the same four basic ingredients: milk, salt, rennet — a blend of animal enzymes
that causes milk to coagulate, separating the cheese curd from liquid whey — and
“good bacteria.”

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These microorganisms are the foundation of all the textures, smells, colors and
flavors of all cheese, from Italian fresh mozzarella to the funky German
Limburger (which is created with the same germs that cause foot odor).


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In 1897, biochemists isolated Penicillium camemberti, a species of white mold
that makes brie and Camembert into the cheeses they are.

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The fungi alters the originally orange, gray and green Camembert into a white
wheel resembling brie. This singular strain is what cheesemakers rely on for
this aesthetic — and what makes the industry so fragile.

“Diversity is necessary for the survival of species. Without it, species are
unable to cope with environmental change,” Ropars said as he urged scientists to
identify or develop alternatives to Penicillium camemberti and other
cheesemaking microorganisms.

Most cheeses are made from the same four basic ingredients: milk, salt, a blend
of enzymes called rennet and “good bacteria.” Sean Gallup/Getty Images

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SEE ALSO


CHAMPAGNE AND WINE COULD GO EXTINCT DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, AI COMPANY PREDICTS

Ropars explained that the fungi are asexual, so there’s no way to avoid the
extermination of genes when they mutate — and once that biodiversity is lost,
there’s no way to get it back.

To make more Penicillium camemberti, scientists have to clone it, and cloning an
individual bacteria year after year can introduce harmful errors into the
genome.

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The issue impacts not only how cheese is made, but how they’re regulated and
traded globally.

Many French cheeses fall under Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) standards,
which officially links a variety of cheeses to the region where it was produced,
according to the European Commission.

What do you think? Post a comment.

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PDO guidelines would have to be rewritten before dairies could produce
traditional cheese with unconventional ingredients.

According to Ropars, cheese lovers and the cheese industry are going to have to
get used to seeing brie and Camembert appearing in colorful hues and variant
flavors, which is just a small change to endure to keep the highly coveted
cheese alive and well.


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Filed under cheese ,  dairy ,  farming ,  france ,  2/15/24
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