Question

Ajay went to a food festival where he saw a counter that was selling different types of cheese. He noticed that one of the displayed cheese blocks had huge holes in it. Which type of cheese (A) do you think Ajay had noticed and which organism (B) is responsible for the production of huge holes in the cheese?

• A. A-Camembert cheese,
  B-Penicillium camemberti
• B. A-Swiss cheese,
  B-Propionibacterium sharmanii
• C. A-Roquefort cheese,
  B-Propionibacterium sharmanii
• D. A-Swiss cheese,
  B-Penicillium camemberti

Answer 1

The correct option is B A-Swiss cheese,

B-Propionibacterium sharmanii
Cheese is a microbial product obtained from fermented milk and hundreds of varieties of cheese can be prepared using different microbes. The taste and quality of the cheese determined by the microbe used for ripening.

The cheese blocks exhibiting large holes exclusively belong to the category of swiss cheese. The microbe that is primarily used during ripening of swiss cheese is Propionibacterium sharmanii. This bacteria produces large quantities of carbon dioxide during the ripening of swiss cheese. The gas rises through the cheese block, creating large holes in it.


Swiss cheese

Penicillium camemberti is a mold used in the ripening process of Camembert cheese. The hydrolytic actions of the mold help to soften the cheese and give it the characteristic smooth and gooey texture.



Penicillium roqueforti is used during the ripening of Roquefort cheese. After curdling of milk and salting, the cheese is sprinkled with mold and left to age for days and signature blue streaks are created.


Roquefort cheese