Andy Montoya
Penicillin is a type of antibiotic derived from the fungus *Penicillium chrysogenum*. However, the same genus of fungus is also used to make cheese, leading some to believe that those with a penicillin allergy may also be allergic to certain cheeses. The cheeses in question include Brie, Blue, Camembert, Stilton, Roquefort, and Gorgonzola. However, research has shown that over 60% of blue and Roquefort cheeses analysed destroyed added penicillin upon contact, indicating that these cheeses may actually be beneficial to penicillin-sensitive individuals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheeses made with penicillin | Brie, Blue, Camembert, Stilton, Roquefort, Coulommiers, Cambozola, Langres, Gorgonzola |
| Penicillium species used | Penicillium roqueforti, Penicillium camemberti, Penicillium glaucum, Penicillium candidum, Penicillium chrysogenum |
| Allergy risk | Allergy to penicillin does not necessarily imply an allergy to cheese made with penicillium. However, there is still some risk of an allergic reaction, especially with the chrysogenum strain |
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What You'll Learn
Brie, Blue, Camembert, and Stilton are made with penicillin moulds
Penicillium camemberti is a species of fungus in the genus Penicillium. It is used in the production of Camembert, Brie, Langres, Coulommiers, and Cambozola cheeses, on which colonies of P. camemberti form a hard, white crust. It is responsible for giving these cheeses their distinctive flavours.
Blue cheese uses the whole mould rather than an extract, as antibiotics do. There is still some risk of an allergic reaction as some blue cheeses make use of the chrysogenum strain. However, over 60% of 70 Blue and Roquefort cheeses analysed destroyed, in some instances completely, added penicillin upon contact, indicating that ingestion of these cheeses may be beneficial to penicillin-sensitive persons.
If you suspect a penicillin allergy and do not have a general dairy allergy, you can try eating Brie, Blue, Camembert, or Stilton. If you don't break out in a rash or suffer stomach cramps, you're very likely not allergic to penicillin.
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Penicillium roqueforti is used to make blue cheese
Penicillium roqueforti is added to blue cheese to form a hard, white crust. When making soft cheese, the mould may be mixed into the ingredients before being placed in the moulds, or it may be added to the outside of the cheese after it is removed from the moulds.
Blue cheese is not the only type of cheese that uses Penicillium moulds. Penicillium camemberti is used in the production of Camembert, Brie, Langres, Coulommiers, and Cambozola cheeses. An allergy to the antibiotic penicillin does not necessarily imply an allergy to cheeses made using P. camemberti.
Research has found that over 60% of blue and Roquefort cheeses analysed destroyed, in some instances completely, added penicillin upon contact, indicating that ingestion of these cheeses may be beneficial to penicillin-sensitive persons.
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Penicillium glaucum is used to make blue cheese
Penicillium glaucum is a species of fungus in the genus Penicillium. It is used in the production of blue cheese, on which colonies of P. glaucum form a hard, white crust. It is responsible for giving blue cheese its distinctive flavour. An allergy to the antibiotic penicillin does not necessarily imply an allergy to blue cheese made using P. glaucum. When making blue cheese that involves P. glaucum, the mold may be mixed into the ingredients before being placed in the molds, or it may be added to the outside of the cheese after it is removed from the cheese molds.
Research has shown that over 60% of 70 blue and Roquefort cheeses analysed destroyed, in some instances completely, added penicillin upon contact. This indicates that ingestion of blue cheeses may be beneficial to penicillin-sensitive persons.
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Penicillium camemberti is used to make Camembert, Brie, Langres, Coulommiers, and Cambozola
Penicillium camemberti is a species of fungus in the genus Penicillium. It is used to make Camembert, Brie, Langres, Coulommiers, and Cambozola cheeses. During the production of these cheeses, colonies of P. camemberti form a hard, white crust, giving them their distinctive flavours.
When making soft cheese with P. camemberti, the mould may be mixed into the ingredients before being placed in the moulds, or it may be added to the outside of the cheese after it is removed from the moulds.
It is important to note that an allergy to the antibiotic penicillin does not necessarily imply an allergy to cheeses made using P. camemberti. However, there is still some risk of an allergic reaction as some blue cheeses make use of the chrysogenum strain.
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Penicillium candidum is used to make Brie
The antibiotic penicillin is derived from a fungus known as Penicillium chrysogenum. While this is still penicillin, it is a different variation from those found in most blue cheeses. The strain common in most blue cheeses is known as Penicillium roqueforti.
An allergy to the antibiotic penicillin does not necessarily imply an allergy to cheeses made using Penicillium candidum. However, there is still some risk of an allergic reaction as some blue cheeses make use of the chrysogenum strain. If you suspect a penicillin allergy, you can try eating Brie or Camembert to test your reaction.
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Frequently asked questions
Brie, blue, camembert, Stilton, Roquefort, Langres, Coulommiers, Cambozola, and Gorgonzola.
It depends on the person. Some people with a penicillin allergy can eat these cheeses with no reaction, but others are allergic to both. It is recommended that you try eating these cheeses to test for an allergy, but be aware that an allergic reaction could be deadly.
Penicillium roqueforti, Penicillium camemberti, and Penicillium glaucum.
The antibiotic penicillin is derived from a fungus known as Penicillium chrysogenum. This is a different variation to the penicillin found in most blue cheeses.
