The moment we see moldy bread in our kitchen, the first thought that comes into our mind is, ‘Ew! That’s gross. This needs to be thrown out of my kitchen right away.’ Isn’t it?

As a child, we were told not to eat moldy foods from the refrigerator. While we weren't doctors, we all knew that if there’s a green, hairy growth on our yoghurt, we should probably avoid eating it. Who knows what those microscopic organisms can do to our bodies!

But what if I tell you that mold might be a lovely thing to consume if it is carefully—even lovingly—cultivated in safe settings. You all will probably think of me as someone who didn’t study in school how harmful mold is, but trust me there’s a very ‘healthy’ relationship between mold and (the most delicious, yes the thing that makes pizza all of ours favourite food, yay you guessed it right) cheese, in fact, mold is a very important ingredient in many of the cheeses we know and love. And if you aren’t aware, well worry not because this article will explain everything that you need to know about moldy cheese and maybe make you like those microscopic organisms a little more.

CHEESE AND MOLD: THE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP

The transformation of a basic curd into a magnificent blue-veined cheese like gorgonzola is one of the most exciting elements of cheesemaking. Over a few months, what begins as a practically blank slate transforms into a complicated and distinct creation.

However, without these purposefully inserted friendly microbes like mold, cheesemakers wouldn't be able to complete the process. Even it’s these molds who are responsible for the amazing flavours of many of our favourite cheeses. So, why do we avoid eating specific types of mold if it's such an important component of the cheesemaking process? It all narrows down to what you want to achieve. A cheesemaker's job includes carefully managing the mold species that are added to their product.