Blue cheese (mold cheese) — benefits, possible harm

Cheese is thought to have entered the human diet almost simultaneously with bread — or even earlier.

Today everyone knows about the benefits of cheese and its high nutritional value. Cheese is rich in easily digestible protein, vitamins and minerals — especially calcium. No other product contains as much calcium as cheese — no fruit or vegetable, egg or legume, grain or even any other dairy. 100 g of good cheese covers the daily calcium requirement — provided you understand cheese quality.

About 2,000 cheese varieties exist today, with new ones constantly appearing. We’ll briefly talk about one of the most exotic varieties for our compatriots — blue cheese.

Everyone has heard that blue cheese is a delicacy, but far from all have tried it. The reasons vary: worries, distaste, lack of information, unfamiliarity with how to eat it properly, and — simply — money: premium blue cheeses are fairly expensive. Still, one can choose wisely.

The smell puts many off — blue cheese can smell like it has already spoiled. And the taste is unlike our usual Russian cheeses — processed, hard, soft, pickle-brined, etc. True connoisseurs understand that blue cheese is a genuine delicacy — and know it should be eaten rarely and in small portions. It is not suitable as an everyday food — too much can cause health problems.

Blue cheese may be hard or soft, but is made primarily from the fattiest cow’s milk. Some varieties are made from goat’s or sheep’s milk — including one of the most famous, “Roquefort,” and several Eastern European cheeses.

Several varieties of mold cheese exist, though the differences are not huge. The first group — cheeses with a white mold rind. The best-known are “Camembert” and “Brie,” which are famous here too.

To produce them milk is curdled and then salted. Such cheese ripens in cellars where mold fungi of the Penicillium genus live — the walls are covered with them, and the mold is called “noble mold.” Mature cheese has the whole rind covered with this fluffy mold.

The next group — blue mold cheeses (cheeses with blue mold — also noble). On the cut, many greenish-blue inclusions are visible. The best-known are Roquefort, Fourme d’Ambert, Gorgonzola, Bleu de Causses.

Curdled milk is placed in a special mold; once the whey drains, the cheese is rubbed with salt, and a specific fungal strain is introduced. Special metal needles are pushed into the cheese mass to help the mold spread, and the cheese is placed in a well-ventilated room to ripen. The characteristic veins visible on the cut are due to this process.

There are also other kinds of mold cheeses — with washed rinds. Also called red-mold or piquant cheeses. During ripening this cheese is washed with a special brine to prevent ordinary molds. It is then treated with special fungal cultures that turn the rind red, burgundy, orange or yellow. Varieties are distinguished by rind color.

What unites all these cheeses is the technology — they are treated with various Penicillium strains.

Is blue cheese healthy?

Is blue cheese good for health? Yes, in small amounts and not too often. It contains plenty of calcium and phosphorus, various vitamins and protein with the essential amino acids.

Many dietitians believe it also contains beneficial bacteria that aid gut function. Turkish scientists discovered another useful property — noble mold contains special substances that protect skin from sunlight. As these substances accumulate under the skin, more melanin is produced and the risk of sunburn drops significantly.

How to eat blue cheese? It has a sharp, pronounced flavor, so it is recommended with strong drinks, e.g. tannic wines. Some connoisseurs argue blue cheese is incompatible with wine, except certain whites.

Blue cheese is served when warmed to room temperature, with vegetables, fruit, crackers and crispbreads. The English eat it with greens and add it to soup; the Italians add it to pizza and sauces; the Danes eat it with bread. Salads too can include blue cheese — except Roquefort, which is best enjoyed alone.

Can blue cheese be harmful?

The Penicillium fungi used to make these cheeses produce antibiotics that suppress unwanted bacteria — that is how penicillin was discovered.

Eating blue cheese rarely and in small portions is not dangerous. Frequent consumption can negatively affect gut microflora and even cause dysbiosis — especially after intestinal infections.

Fungi in the cheese may cause allergies with frequent consumption. Fat content is also fairly high — quite a lot of calories. A healthy person should eat no more than 50 g of cheese per day, and ideally less.

Blue cheese is strictly forbidden for pregnant women — mold fungi can harm the fetus and even cause its death. It is not given to small children either — to prevent listeriosis, a dangerous disease affecting liver, lymph nodes and nervous system.

How to choose blue cheese

For “blue” cheese the channels through which mold was introduced should not be too visible, and the blue-mold cavities should not be too numerous. The cheese should be slightly loose, moist and tender — not crumbly.

Do not start with Roquefort or Camembert — their taste and smell are unfamiliar. Try a soft creamy cheese or Brie with pears or grapes first. For blue varieties start with cream cheese, which pairs well with sweet tea or coffee.

When choosing a soft cheese with a white mold rind, pay attention to the smell — a good one has a mild “penicillin” scent. The rind should be light, usually white, with slight marks from the ripening rack. Read the ingredients: milk, enzymes for ripening, salt and penicillin — no preservatives or dyes.

The taste should resemble fresh butter, with light sourness or bitterness, and should melt in the mouth. A dry layer along the rind can indicate long storage. There should be very few holes; otherwise it is poor quality.

How to store blue cheese

Temperature between 0 and 5°C, humidity 90%. Best stored not in a fridge but in a special cabinet if possible. Fresh air should circulate and light should not reach the cheese.

Keep blue cheese in its original wrapping and always cover the cut, or the mold will spread. Soft cheeses should not be stored in cling film or plastic bags — wrap in wax paper.

Cheese is one of the most valuable foods we have — it supports life, growth and development. Good cheese contains elements vital to us and is delicious. Let your favorite cheeses always be on your table!