Different color in the future?

Researchers warn of the end of the Camembert mushroom

(Bild: Grafvision/stock.adobe.com)

French researchers have warned of a possible end to Camembert with its white, fluffy crust. A single strain of the Penicillium camemberti fungus is currently used to make the soft cheese, according to the French research center CNRS's magazine "Le Journal". The strain is not reproduced sexually, so that no new genetic material is added. Over time, it has lost the ability to produce the spores necessary for reproduction.

The article states that it has now become very difficult for producers to obtain sufficient quantities of the fungal strain. However, biologist Tatiana Giraud from the Université Paris-Saclay does not see a short-term danger. "The Camembert industry will not be threatened in the next five to ten years," she said in the newspaper "Le Parisien". "But we want to draw attention to the dangers of too much standardization of species," "Libération" quotes her as saying.

Camembert production in a cheese dairy in Normandy, France

(Bild: AFP)

In fact, until the middle of the 20th century, the crust of Camembert was sometimes slightly orange, grayish or green, according to the CNRS magazine. However, companies then relied exclusively on the use of the white mushroom strain, which had already been used for Camembert since 1902. The problem of the low diversity of microorganisms also exists with other types of cheese, such as Roquefort, according to the CNRS. However, Camembert is particularly at risk.

Camembert could have a different color in the future
It would therefore be possible to ferment Camembert with other strains of fungi - but consumers would then have to be prepared for a different color, a different texture of the crust or a slightly different taste.

Like other cheeses, Camembert is initially made from raw milk. During processing, its surface is inoculated with the mold. It releases substances that give the cheese its special aroma.