Andy Montoya
Toe cheese is a real thing. Scientists have created cheese from the bacteria found between people's toes. The cheese is said to smell like the donor's body odour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main ingredient | Bacteria from human toes |
| Other ingredients | Bacteria from human mouths, navels, and tears |
| Smell | Similar to body odour |
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What You'll Learn
Toe cheese is made from the bacteria between toes
Each cheese sample smells like the donor's personal body odour, and the creators call them "cheese portraits". Agapakis explains that "the bacteria that you find in between the toes is actually very similar to the bacteria that makes cheese smell like toes".
The cheese is crafted with the toe bacteria from microbiologist Ben Wolfe. Agapakis was interested in cultivating discussion around how we interact with bacteria in our daily lives.
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Toe cheese is made from the microbes found on toes
The process was pioneered by microbiologist Christina Agapakis and scent artist Sissel Tolaas, who crafted 11 unique cheeses for Grow Your Own, a synthetic biology exhibition at Trinity College Dublin.
Each cheese sample smells like the donor's personal body odour and is representative of each bacteria donor's unique microbiome. Agapakis notes that the bacteria found between the toes is very similar to the bacteria that makes cheese smell like toes.
The exhibition features cheeses made from the bacteria of notable people, including Elvis Presley.
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Toe cheese can be made from the bacteria found in belly buttons
The bacteria found in the belly button is similar to the bacteria found between the toes, which is also similar to the bacteria that makes cheese smell like toes. Agapakis and Tolaas crafted their cheeses from microbes collected from human mouths, toes, navels, and even tears.
The exhibition was part art, part science, and was intended to start a conversation about how we interact with bacteria in our daily lives. The idea of crafting cheese from human bacteria may seem strange, but it is not dissimilar to the consumption of cheese derived from cow's, goat's, and sheep's milk.
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Toe cheese can be made from the bacteria found in mouths
Toe cheese is made from the bacteria found in mouths, as well as in toes, noses, navels, and even tears. Scientists have crafted a set of 11 unique cheeses for Grow Your Own, a synthetic biology exhibition at Science Gallery at Trinity College Dublin. Each cheese sample smells like the donor's personal body odour.
The bacteria found in between the toes is very similar to the bacteria that makes cheese smell like toes. The creators of the toe cheese exhibition call their creations "cheese portraits", as they are representative of each bacteria donor's unique microbiome.
The exhibition features the work of microbiologist Christina Agapakis and scent artist Sissel Tolaas. Agapakis was interested in cultivating discussion around how we interact with bacteria in our daily lives.
Toe cheese is certainly a unique and controversial creation, but it is just one example of how artists and scientists are starting a conversation about the future of synthetic biology.
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Toe cheese can be made from the bacteria found in tears
Toe cheese is made from the bacteria found in tears, as well as the bacteria found in the nose, mouth, and belly button.
Scientists have created toe cheese from human bacteria, specifically the bacteria found between the toes. The resulting cheese samples smell like the donor's body odour.
The process of making toe cheese involves collecting bacteria from the human body, including the tears, and using it to craft a unique cheese. This was done by microbiologist Christina Agapakis and scent artist Prof. Sissel Tolaas for a synthetic biology exhibition at Trinity College Dublin.
The exhibition, called Selfmade, featured 11 different cheeses made from human microbes. The creators called them "cheese portraits" as they represented each bacteria donor's unique microbiome. Agapakis noted that the bacteria found between the toes is very similar to the bacteria that makes cheese smell like toes.
Frequently asked questions
Toe cheese is made from the bacteria found between the toes.
Toe cheese is said to smell like the donor's personal body odour.
Toe cheese is made by artists and scientists, including microbiologist Christina Agapakis and scent artist Sissel Tolaas.
