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Defects - Specific, White Mould Cheeses

In addition to the General Defects webpages, Penicillium candidum "white mould" cheeses (such as Brie & Camembert) can have their own special set of problems. This webpage is divided into the following topics:

Body - Liquidy

Description

  • Body of cheese is too liquid or runny.

Causes

  • Excessive moisture in the cheese, stir curds slightly longer to expel slightly more whey before ladling into hoops.
  • Normal in very overripe white mould cheeses.

Body - Firm

Description

  • Body of cheese is too firm and does not soften when aging from action of Penicillum candidum mould on body of cheese.

Causes

  • Moisture content is too low, reduce amount and/or time of stirring before ladling into hoops. If still to dry, handle curd more gently during ladling.
  • Aging time is insufficient.
  • Penicillium candidum mould inactive.

Flavour - Bitterness

Description

  • Cheese when mature tastes bitter. Common bitter tasting foods or drinks are coffee, unsweetened chocolate, citrus peel, or quinine in tonic water.

Causes

  • Excessive growth of Penicllium candidum from either excessive amount of Penicillium candidum used or cheese not wrapped as soon as white mould had completely covered the cheese.

Smell - Ammonia

Description

  • Ammonia smell in young cheese.

Causes

  • Cheese is past "A Point" and is overripe before correct age, causes are ripening/aging temperature is too high, reduce to slow down ripening schedule, or moisture content of cheese is too high, stir curds slightly longer to expel slightly more whey before ladling into hoops.

Surface - Non-Uniform White Mould Bloom

Description

  • Bloom of white mould is non-uniform/uneven on surface of cheese.

Causes

  • If on bottom, bottom of cheese is in draining whey, mould will not bloom if it has it's "feet in water", keep drained whey away from bottom of cheese and turn more often.
  • If applying Penicillium candidum to surface of cheese, uneven application.
  • Uneven salting of surface of cheese, retarding or halting bloom of white mould in certain areas.

Surface - Slow White Mould Bloom

Description

  • White mould does not completely cover cheese in normal 12-14 days after making.

Causes

  • If inoculating milk with Penicillium candidum, temperature of milk was too low, retarding bloom of white mould.
  • Ripening/aging temperature of cheese is too low, retarding bloom of white mould.
  • Ripening/aging humidity is too low, retarding bloom of white mould.
  • Excessive salting of cheese, retarding or halting bloom of white mould.

Surface - Thick White Mould

Description

  • Thick layer of white mould on surface of cheese. If left uncontrolled will result in "slip skin" or "toad skin" where it will slip off the body of the cheese.

Causes

  • Excessive mould development from either excessive amount of Penicillium candidum used or cheese not wrapped as soon as white mould had completely covered the cheese.