Healthy Food Database

Blue cheese is a general classification of cow's milk and/or goat's milk cheeses with a blue or blue-green mould.

Roquefort from France, Stilton (England), Gorgonzola (Italy), Danablu (Denmark) and Maytag Blue Cheese are just a few of the many well known blue cheeses, however, Roquefort, made from unpasteurised milk is unavailable in this country due to the threat of the listeria bacteria.

The blue mould in these cheeses is due to mould spores from Penicillium. Originally each of these cheeses were produced in caves, where the mould was naturally present. This combined with the unique nutrients that the mould grew on in the caves affected the flavour, texture and blue-green colour of the mould in each cheese. In the beginning, this was most likely discovered by accident when cheeses were stored in the caves, and they developed mould. Most blue cheeses today are either injected with the mould, or the mould is mixed right in with the curds to ensure even distribution of the mould. Most of these cheeses must still be aged in the original caves where they were developed to bear the name.

Pregnant women should avoid blue cheese.

Category: Cheese

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