B linens question

[Aris]

I made a blue cheese that got contaminated with B linens and the paste near the rind is soft, near the center is gooey while the center is crumbly like a Danish blue. Is B linens alone capable of making the paste of the cheese soft and gooey? The rind has some white mold, probably Geotrichum Candidum but its too little to have a significant effect on the paste.

[linuxboy]

Is B linens alone capable of making the paste of the cheese soft and gooey?

Yes, it is.

[Aris]

How come other smear ripened cheeses are not gooey especially cheeses seen here in this forum? Mine never had a single wash of B linens yet its gooey even at a young age and just out of the fridge. Even when it was still only 20 days old, it is already softening. Ripening temp is 10c and the rind was only wet for a couple of days. Even Tilston Point is hard and not gooey at all even though they deliberately wash it with B. Linens. This must be some kind of super strain of B. Linens.

[linuxboy]

How come other smear ripened cheeses are not gooey especially cheeses seen here in this forum?

Because it depends on the milk used, culture, final moisture, and ratio of protein and fat in the cheese. Also affinage conditions. If you were to wash a cheddar you would have something different. If you were to wash a hard cheese like parmesan, it wouldn't soften at all. Look at the alpine cheeses.. . those are washed with a b linens morge, yet never soften.

That blue has high moisture, and moderate protein, so of course b linens will make it gooey.

[Aris]

You are right that this cheese has high moisture because i ladled the wet pea sized curds into the mould. As always very informative, thank you very much.