Camembert could become extinct

One mold strain of the species Penicillium camemberti is currently used for the soft cheese, according to the magazine “Le Journal” of the French research center CNRS. The species is not sexually reproduced, so no new genetic material is added. Over time, he lost the ability to produce the spores necessary for reproduction. The article states that it has now become very difficult for producers to purchase the mushroom species in sufficient quantities.

Biologist Tatiana Giraud of the Université Paris-Saclay, however, sees no danger in the short term. “In the next five to 10 years, the Camembert industry will not be threatened,” she told Le Parisien newspaper. “But we want to draw attention to the dangers of too much standardization of species,” Libération quoted her as saying.

Until the mid-20th century, the rind of Camembert was sometimes slightly orange, grayish or green, as the magazine CNRS says. Companies then relied exclusively on using the white mushroom variety, which had been used for Camembert since 1902. According to the CNRS, the problem of the low diversity of micro-organisms also occurs with other types of cheese, such as Roquefort. However, camembert is particularly endangered.

It would therefore be entirely possible to ferment Camembert with other mushroom varieties, but the consumer would have to take into account a changed color, a changed texture of the rind or a slightly different taste.

Like other cheeses, Camembert is primarily made from raw milk. During processing, the surface is inoculated with mold. Substances are released that give the cheese its special aroma. (sda/dpa)