Bushra Griffith
Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperature and moisture levels, creating an environment conducive to the growth of harmless moulds. Analysis of ancient faeces sampled in the salt mines of Hallstatt, Austria, revealed that miners of the Hallstatt Period (800 to 400 BC) consumed blue cheese and beer. Today, blue cheese is widely enjoyed, and the question of whether it is pasteurized is important, especially for those who are pregnant or serving it to children.
Is Miner's Blue Cheese Pasteurized?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pasteurization | Blue cheese is usually made from pasteurized milk. However, some varieties are made from raw, unpasteurized milk. |
| Safety | Pasteurized blue cheese is considered safe to consume. Unpasteurized blue cheese carries a higher risk of foodborne illnesses due to the presence of bacteria and spores. |
| Availability | Pasteurized blue cheese is commonly found in chain restaurants, supermarkets, and regular grocery stores. Unpasteurized blue cheese is typically found at specialty cheese counters, natural food stores, or upscale restaurants. |
| Recommendations | It is recommended to consume pasteurized blue cheese, especially for pregnant women and children. Unpasteurized blue cheese should be avoided by babies and young children due to the risk of infections and foodborne illnesses. |
| Preparation | Baking pasteurized blue cheese to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) reduces the risk of foodborne illness. Proper preparation and serving methods are important to minimize the risk of choking, especially for toddlers. |
| Labeling | In the US, cheese must be pasteurized unless it is aged over 60 days, in which case it must be labeled as "raw milk cheese". |
| Health Benefits | The consumption of blue cheese, when made with Penicillium roqueforti, has been associated with gut microbiome structures similar to those of individuals consuming unprocessed foods and fresh fruits and vegetables. |
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What You'll Learn
Blue cheese is usually pasteurized
Blue cheese is usually made with unpasteurized milk, which raises the risk of Listeria contamination. However, some blue cheeses are made with pasteurized milk, and these are safe to consume. Pasteurization, a process that uses mild heat to partially sterilize certain foods, kills Listeria, thereby reducing the risk of bacterial contamination.
Blue cheese is famous for its pungent taste and is believed to have been discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves with naturally controlled temperature and moisture levels, creating a favorable environment for harmless molds to grow. One of the first blue cheeses, Roquefort, is said to have been discovered when a young boy's bread and ewes' milk cheese was left in a cave for months, allowing the mold Penicillium roqueforti to transform his cheese.
Today, cheesemakers use commercially manufactured Penicillium roqueforti to create the distinctive mold in blue cheese. To make blue cheese, raw milk is first pasteurized at 72°C (162°F) for 15 seconds. Afterward, a Penicillium roqueforti inoculum is added to the pasteurized milk, which is then mixed with sterile salt to create a fermentation medium.
Although blue cheese is typically made with pasteurized milk, it is important to note that some varieties may still use unpasteurized milk, which can pose health risks, especially for pregnant women. Listeria contamination is a concern with unpasteurized blue cheese, and while cooking can kill Listeria, it is generally recommended to avoid soft blue cheeses during pregnancy, even if they are made with pasteurized milk, due to their higher water content, which increases the risk of Listeria growth.
To ensure the safety of blue cheese, it is advisable to check the product label and opt for varieties made with pasteurized milk, especially for individuals with weakened immune systems or pregnant women.
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Unpasteurized blue cheese can be dangerous for babies
Blue cheese is made by introducing moulds into the milk of cattle, goats, or sheep as it ferments. The most common type of mould used is Penicillium roqueforti, which is responsible for the greenish-blue colour of blue cheese. While this mould produces several mycotoxins, they are present at low levels, and the large quantities of cheese consumed also reduce the risk of health hazards.
However, unpasteurized blue cheese can be dangerous for babies. Babies have a higher risk of contracting foodborne illnesses, as their immune systems are still developing, and they are not able to fight off infections as effectively as adults. Foodborne illnesses, such as Listeria, can be contracted from consuming unpasteurized blue cheese and can have severe symptoms or even be fatal. There is no age at which it is considered completely safe to offer unpasteurized blue cheese to babies and children. It is recommended to wait until a child is at least 12 months old before introducing pasteurized blue cheese, and even then, only in thin slices or bite-sized crumbles to reduce the risk of choking.
Additionally, blue cheese is commonly made from cow's milk, which is a common food allergen in young children. Dairy products from other ruminants, such as sheep, goat, and buffalo, may also provoke similar allergic reactions. If there is a risk of a baby having a dairy allergy, it is recommended to consult an allergist before introducing dairy products.
To ensure the safety of babies, it is important to feed them only pasteurized foods while their immune systems are still developing. Pasteurization uses heat to remove harmful bacteria without destroying nutrients. Soft or imported cheeses, such as Brie, Camembert, or blue-veined cheeses, may or may not be pasteurized, so it is crucial to always read the labels and avoid giving unpasteurized cheese to babies.
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Blue cheese is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk
The first step in making blue cheese is to culture suitable spore-rich inocula and ferment them for maximum flavour. This is done by preparing a Penicillium roqueforti inoculum, which can be done through multiple methods, all of which involve using a freeze-dried Penicillium roqueforti culture. This culture is then added to the cheese curds. The raw milk, from cattle, goats, or sheep, is then mixed and pasteurized at 72°C (162°F) for 15 seconds.
The distinctive flavour and aroma of blue cheese are due to methyl ketones, which are a metabolic product of Penicillium roqueforti. This fungus is responsible for the greenish-blue mouldy appearance of blue cheese. The type of milk used can affect the flavour of blue cheese. Cow's milk cheeses can highlight the flavour of the grass the animals graze on, resulting in a "grassy" or "pasture-like" taste. Common tasting notes in cow's milk blue cheeses include sweet cream, butterscotch, mushroom, and nuts.
Goat's milk blue cheeses tend to have a more pronounced flavour, falling into one of two categories: limestone-y and citrusy, or musky and barnyardy. Goat's milk also has a lower protein content, resulting in drier and crumblier cheeses compared to cow's or sheep's milk blue cheeses. Sheep's milk blue cheeses are less common, but they can also be used to make melting cheeses like Gouda or cheddar.
While I cannot find specific information about Miner's Blue Cheese, most blue cheese sold in supermarkets, restaurants, and salad bars is made with pasteurized milk.
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Blue cheese is made using Penicillium roqueforti
To make blue cheese at home, one can cultivate their own source of Penicillium roqueforti by leaving a piece of sourdough bread with a pea-sized piece of ripe blue cheese in an airtight container for two weeks. The growth of the special Penicillium roqueforti spores will consume the bread in bluish-green mould, and the bread can then be dried and stored in an airtight jar. This culture can then be added to milk to make blue cheese.
In commercial blue cheese production, a Penicillium roqueforti inoculum is prepared prior to the actual production of blue cheese. All methods involve the use of a freeze-dried Penicillium roqueforti culture. Although Penicillium roqueforti can be found naturally, cheese producers nowadays use commercially manufactured Penicillium roqueforti. First, Penicillium roqueforti is washed from a pure culture agar plate, which is later frozen.
Penicillium roqueforti is particularly well-adapted to the conditions encountered during blue cheese manufacture, including low oxygen levels and temperatures. It is also actively involved in lipolysis and proteolysis and produces many volatile and non-volatile aroma compounds, including methyl ketones, which are responsible for the distinctive flavour and aroma of blue cheese.
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Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered in caves
Blue cheese is believed to have been discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in caves, which provided a naturally controlled temperature and moisture level that happened to be a favourable environment for varieties of harmless mould. One of the first blue cheeses, Roquefort, is said to have been discovered when a young boy, eating bread and ewes' milk cheese, left his meal in a nearby cave after seeing a beautiful girl in the distance. When he returned months later, the mould (Penicillium roqueforti) had transformed his cheese into Roquefort.
Indeed, the natural conditions of the Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, France, are credited with giving Roquefort its distinctive flavour and odour. The mould, Penicillium roqueforti, is responsible for the greenish-blue, mouldy appearance of blue cheese, and it is often added to the cheese-making process as a freeze-dried culture. The mould is also found naturally in the caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, and EU law dictates that only cheeses aged in these specific caves may bear the name Roquefort.
The process of making blue cheese consists of six standard steps, but additional ingredients and processes are required to give the cheese its distinctive blue veins. To start, the commercial-scale production of blue cheese involves two phases: the culturing of suitable spore-rich inocula and fermentation for maximum, typical flavour. In the first phase, a Penicillium roqueforti inoculum is prepared before the actual production of blue cheese.
In addition to Roquefort, other blue cheeses are also aged in caves. For example, the Rogue River Blue cheese is aged in caves in Oregon's Rogue Valley.
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