Fungus among us…
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Photo courtesy of wikipedia
Hello Cheese Enthusiasts!
I am back!...I had a few year-end projects to finish up, and could not wait to get back to writing. While away, I received the following message through the comments section of the Cheese Traveler blog: “I've seen several discussions online about trimming mold from cheese, and that it’s safe to do so. I've always done this, and would like your perspective on doing this”.
Great topic!!...and definitely one that should be discussed!!
As a kid, I could remember reaching to the back of the refrigerator, and there hiding behind a jar of jelly would be a forgotten piece of cheese. Horrified, I would reach for it with a pair of tongs and throw it in the garbage, all the while pinching my nose as hard as I could with a sourpuss expression on my face.
This was long before I worked behind my first cheese counter and had to learn all about molds, how they developed, and more importantly which ones could be trimmed and which ones had to be discarded.
First, let’s understand the basics:
Molds on cheese are a fungi. Fungi is a term that encompasses everything from molds to yeasts, to mushrooms than can number into the tens of thousands.
These fungi start as microscopic, airborne mold spores, that once landing on the right environment can grow, develop a root system, and “flower” (the part of mold that you can see), which creates new airborne spores, and the lifecycle can start over again.
Once these were classified as part of the plant kingdom, but as late as 1969, it was discovered that unlike plants, fungi do not contain the green pigment chlorophyll and therefore are incapable of photosynthesis. That is, they cannot generate their own food — carbohydrates — by using energy from light. This makes them more like animals in terms of their food habits. Fungi need to absorb nutrition from organic substances: compounds that contain carbon, like carbohydrates, fats, or proteins. It was agreed upon by the scientific community that they were neither plant, nor animal and needed to be part of their own taxonomic kingdom.
So, is mold harmful?...
It can be…let me explain. Once these molds take hold on a food product, they can grow a thread-like root system known as mycelium. These mycelium can grow deep into the food products where they can produce mycotoxins, poisonous substances that can make you sick. These mycotoxins are primarily found in grain and nut crops. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations estimates that 25% of the world’s food crops are affected by mycotoxins.
So, what about mold on cheese??...
When discussing mold and cheese, we must understand that some is beneficial that we want to encourage, while others are potentially harmful and could spoil the product.
Here is a short list of molds that are encouraged in common cheeses:
Close up view of Roquefort to show detail
Penicillium roqueforti – First classified as late as 1906, this blue/green strain of mold is commonly found in the following cheeses: Roquefort, Cabrales, Cambozola, Cashel Blue, Danish blue, Fourme d'Ambert, Fourme de Montbrison, Shropshire Blue, and Stilton. There are over 200 different strains of Penicillium roqueforti.
Penicillium glaucum – This mostly greenish mold can be found in the following cheeses: Bleu de Gex and some varieties of Bleu d'Auvergne and Gorgonzola.
Penicillium camemberti – (*synonymous with Penicillium candidum) – This snowy white mold is most commonly used in the production of Camembert, Brie, Langres, Coulommiers, and Cambozola cheeses. This can either be applied to the outside of the cheese, but may start as an ingredient inside the cheese, then under the proper environment, can develop into mold growing on the exterior of the cheese. *The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name.
Close up view of a Mucor Rind to show detail
Mucor – (Also referred to as “wild rinds” or “poil de chat” by the French – translation: cat fur). As these descriptive titles imply, this is not your snowy white rind found on Brie cheese, instead is amicrobial genus of approximately 40 species of molds that can range from browns to grays and commonly found upon the rind of such cheeses as: Tomme de Savoie and St. Nectaire.
What about the mold I might find on my cheese in the refrigerator?...
Molds that are found on harder cheeses such as Cheddars or Goudas are very dense, and therefore the molds mycelium (root structure) may not be able to penetrate very deeply. These can simply be trimmed (about a ¼ inch) and discarded. If you ate these, they may have a bitter, or “off” taste, but not deadly.
In the case of higher moisture cheeses such as cottage cheese, cream cheese and fresh mozzarella, the mycelium roots would be able to work their way much deeper into the center of the cheese. These are potentially harmfuland should be discarded.
While most molds prefer warmer temperatures, they can grow at refrigerator temperatures, too. Molds also tolerate salt and sugar better than most other food invaders. Therefore, molds can grow in refrigerated jams and jellies, as well as other items.
Clean conditions, tighter wrap, and colder conditions will help limit these unwanted molds.
I have grown since that little kid being afraid of mold. I understand that my cheese is a living, breathing thing that needs to be loved, cared for, and enjoyed with or without mold.
Until next week,
Trevor
