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How do fungi help ripen Brie and Camembert cheese?
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fungus
A pair of panther cap mushrooms (Amanita pantherina). Closely related to the death cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides), the panther cap is highly poisonous.
Brie and Camembert cheeses are ripened through the action of the mold Penicillium camemberti, which grows on the outer surface of the cheese. This fungus plays a critical role in the maturation process by secreting enzymes that digest the cheese's components extracellularly.12
Specifically, these fungal enzymes break down proteins and lipids from the outside in. This process, known as proteolysis, is essential for transforming fresh curd into the final product, significantly influencing both the flavor and the characteristic creamy consistency of the cheese. The mold is also responsible for the cheese's signature downy white surface.134