Researchers at the University of Nottingham in England have developed methods to produce a variety of mushroom cultures that enable blue cheeses to take on different colors. This finding was reported by Daily Mail.
Traditional blue cheeses such as Stilton, Roquefort and Gorgonzola rely on inoculation with Penicillium roqueforti. The cheese mass is pierced with tiny needles to distribute the mold, which is responsible for the cheese’s distinctive flavor and aroma.
Building on this work, scientists mapped how the classic blue-green mold forms in blue cheese and demonstrated how to generate additional strains capable of coloring cheese in white, yellow-green, red-brown and red-pink tones, as well as producing deep blue hues.
Following the creation of these colorful varieties, researchers employed laboratory diagnostic tools to predict how the new cheeses might taste. They found that, in most respects, the flavor stayed close to traditional blue cheeses. Variants with milder mold tones tended to be less assertive, while those featuring reddish-brown and light-green molds offered a brighter, sharper profile.
The research team is exploring partnerships with cheesemakers in Scotland and Nottinghamshire to bring these colored cheeses to the market using the new technology.
A former nutritionist commented on the potential safety considerations surrounding processed cheese, noting that ongoing monitoring and quality controls are important as new molds and colorings are introduced into dairy products.