Which Feathered Dinosaurs Could Fly? | Some French Cheeses At Risk Of Extinction

Cheese Crisis

The beloved French cheeses, Camembert and Brie, face a crisis due to a lack of microbial diversity. Benji Jones explains that the mold, Penicillium camemberti, essential for these cheeses, has lost its genetic diversity, leading to potential extinction. This mold has been cloned repeatedly, introducing errors into its genome, making it difficult to reproduce 1. The uniformity in cheese production, driven by consumer preferences for specific traits, has led to the disappearance of other mold types, threatening the supply chain of these cheeses 2.

   

Food Biodiversity

Maintaining microbial diversity in food production is crucial for resilience, as Benji Jones highlights through comparisons with other foods like bananas and grapes. The lack of diversity in cheese molds mirrors the genetic uniformity seen in Cavendish bananas, making them susceptible to diseases 3. Historical records show that cheeses once displayed a variety of colors, indicating greater microbial diversity. Fortunately, related molds still exist and could offer a solution, though they might alter the cheese's appearance 4.