Author Topic: Aging - Cheese Mite Infestation  (Read 4119 times)

tnsven

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Aging - Cheese Mite Infestation
« on: November 28, 2010, 01:42:00 PM »
I'm wondering if someone can describe a cheese mite infestation. I think I might have one. I was aging some cheeses in an adjacent concrete block building that remains reasonably cool during this time of year. It is open to the outside air. The cheeses were all in bins and I monitored them daily. One of these bins had a couple of not so nice looking Parmesans (they got moldy due to too much humidity but I've left them to see what happens).

A few days ago, I moved them to my new cave (my old fridge fitted with the JC Temp Controller). I am now seeing tiny holes in my Camemberts and wondering if it is cheese mites. When I moved one of the parms, there was a small pile of brown dust.

Most of my cheeses are waxed so I'm not concerned about them and I can vacuum seal the 2 natural rind cheeses I have. But I'm not sure what will happen to the Cams.

Anyone have any ideas? Would disinfecting the cave take care of this? Or are they just going to stay in the cheese and I have to eliminate the infected cheeses?

Thanks.

Kristin

Cheese Head

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Re: Aging - Cheese Mite Infestation
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2010, 02:37:34 PM »
Good question, don't know but here is a video of cheese mites and of course Mimolette is a cheese that is famous for intentionally having cheese mites build it's rind.

If you took a picture it would probably help.

mtncheesemaker

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Re: Aging - Cheese Mite Infestation
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2010, 02:55:34 PM »
Once, before I had my aging area together, I had a fruit fly infestation in some camemberts. They laid eggs on the surface and I didn't find them until I unwrapped the cheese and the larvae had been snacking! There were little holes and tunnels in the cheese.

tnsven

  • Guest
Re: Aging - Cheese Mite Infestation
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2010, 01:46:32 AM »
Thanks for the link John.  It may be a bit close up for me w/o a microscope.

Pam - I read your response then went right down and opened one. No worms. Whew! Not a bad cheese either considering it was not quite 4 weeks old.

If Oude has cheese mites in his cave, I suppose it can't be a bad thing.

Kristin

linuxboy

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Re: Aging - Cheese Mite Infestation
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2010, 02:52:02 AM »
All caves with natural rinds have cheese mites. It just happens. Here's what you can do to manage:

- Break up the lifecycle of the mites by either removing them manually by brushing with a brush , vacuuming cheeses, or brushing with your hand. Fewer adult mites mean fewer eggs means less mites overall. Vacuuming works well to remove populations.
- Make it harder for mites to gain a foothold. You do this by positioning cheese on its side. (mites like the flat surfaces of cylinders, the top and bottom)
- Make the mites fall off. Do this again by putting the cheese on its side and by rotating the cheese. Make it harder for the infestation to grow.
- Prevent cross-contamination by rotating cheese positions. I'm talking about moving the lower ones higher, and removing mites in between.
- Use open aging spaces with air circulation on all sides of the cheese. Using wooden boards and letting the cheese sit, for example, makes a lovely home for mites.

And as a last resort, you can use both friendly means, like using diatomaceous earth to dessicate them, or chemical means.

If you get rid of all the cheese, and disinfect the cave, they will be back. Mite management really is management, not elimination, and more about keeping the numbers down constantly.

susanky

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Re: Aging - Cheese Mite Infestation
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2010, 02:26:52 AM »
Geez!!  My cat has Cheyletiella mites.  My skin has Deomdex mites. My mattress has dust mites.  And now I have to worry about cheese mites?!  Eeewww.
Susan