Cheese crisis in France: Camembert is in danger of extinction due to mold shortage

French cheese lovers are very concerned about the survival of camembert. The white mold cheese from Normandy is made so much that an important mold that gives the cheese its characteristic taste and rind is becoming less and less available. Camembert has been made since the eighteenth century and has since become world famous. The French see it as one of the culinary icons of their country, next to baguette and wine. But the cheese is now in danger of being destroyed by its own success. To give camembert its characteristic properties, a fungus is needed: Penicillium camemberti. This fungus cannot easily reproduce. And because the cheese is now made on a large scale, there is a risk of a shortage, several French scientists say. They point out that other French cheeses such as blue cheese are also struggling, but that the situation with camembert is even more problematic. The farmers who make the cheese are less ...