Camembert and Roquefort cheeses may be on the verge of extinction in France

Published 2024년 2월 22일

Tridge summary

French cheese production, specifically Camembert and Roquefort, is under threat due to the depletion of specific strains of fungus used in their production, according to researchers from the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). The strains, Penicillium camemberti and Penicillium roqueforti, are becoming infertile and depleting due to lack of genetic diversity. The researchers suggest cross-breeding these organisms with other species to maintain cheese production, but this could alter the cheeses' flavor, texture, and color. However, a third strain could potentially revitalize the blue cheese sector.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

To continue reading the article, log in with your account or register on MilkPoint. Get access to exclusive content! Researchers from the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) warn that France, the land of cheese, could lose two symbols of its varied production, considered the country's cultural and culinary heritage. Popular legend tells that once, in France, former president Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970) asked, with pride, "how is it possible to govern a country that has 246 varieties of cheese?". The joke is now taken seriously by French scientists, who are trying to ensure that these two culinary specialties do not disappear definitively. To make cheese, microorganisms are needed that transform milk. Camembert is no exception and requires the use of a microscopic fungus in its maturation process. Camembert, "wherever it is made on Earth, is inoculated with one and the same strain of fungus": the so-called ...

Source: Milkpoint