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.