Molds in blue cheese

[sulley_5]

I really like learning about the mold used in blue cheese. Is anyone here growing their own Penicillium roqueforti? How do you stop it from spreading too much?

 

[Alan]

Hi @sulley_5 from what I know, you need separate tools and containers, because it can easily move into other dairy projects. Keeping the air moisture steady and making smaller batches made it easier to handle.

 

[sam1067]

Hi @sulley_5 from what I know, you need separate tools and containers, because it can easily move into other dairy projects. Keeping the air moisture steady and making smaller batches made it easier to handle.

Haven’t worked much with P. roqueforti yet. I heard it can spread easily, so your point about separate tools makes sense. When you say smaller batches, do you mean it helps keep the veining more even or just makes cleanup safer?

 

[passedpawn]

I really like learning about the mold used in blue cheese. Is anyone here growing their own Penicillium roqueforti? How do you stop it from spreading too much?

I had it spread from my cheese to homemade butter - which I really liked!

There are very easy ways to grow it yourself on bread. Just start with a piece of blue cheese from the store (not pastuerized). Lots of instructions online to do this in a baggie.

I happen to have a lot of chemistry equipment here, so I did it the lab way...

Just a quick dip with the innoculation loop and the plates exploded with roqueforti growth. This only took a few days if I remember correctly. I think I made those plates with agar agar and lactose.