Pressed Cheese Rind - Yellow/Red Stain & Poisonous Mushroom Smell

[smilingcalico]

This cheese has some nasty yellow and red stain. It smells like a poisonous mushroom walked into a gas station bathroom. I'm sure there's a punchline to that, but I forgot it.  There was a pH balance issue to start. (Slimy skin after brining).  Anybody know what mold or bacteria is causing this? Should it be named the McDonald's mold?

[mtncheesemaker]

What kind of cheese is it? How are you aging it?

[smilingcalico]

It's a hard cheese, Argentine in origin. Aging cave is fairly steady at 52 degrees, but in cold weather dips to 46 at times.

[mtncheesemaker]

I'm wondering if you air dried it long enough after brining, and/or your aging conditions are too humid? Could it have picked up B. linens from a neighboring cheese?
How old is it?
I'm thinking it might be a good idea to bring it out of the cave and let it air dry. You might also rub the spots with a salt/vinegar solution.

[Cheese Head]

OK, so the smell may not be enticing to you but from here they look great!

The white looks like Geotrichum candidum, example of that on couple of mine here.

The red looks here here more like brown, recommend rub off, the yellow is a good question, are you using raw milk or annatto?

[smilingcalico]

The humidity is pretty solid between 85-90%. I do recall this cheese took a long time to develop rind. Make date was mid October. We only keep one type of cheese in the cave, but we let the older cheese develop a coat of mold. My personal feeling is chuck the cheese, but its not my call. The picture was taken just after washing, while air drying.