Red smear
Red smear is a surface treatment method used during the production and ripening of certain cheeses . The cheeses produced in this way are known as red smear cheese , also - because of the parallels to white mold cheese - as red mold cheese . However, this is incorrect, because their treatment is not with mold , but with bacteria .
The cheese wheel is regularly sprayed, washed or lubricated with various liquids (brine, wine, beer or other alcoholic beverages) that contain so-called red smear bacteria . The aim is to colonize the surface of the cheese with these bacteria, especially Brevibacterium linens . An orange-reddish, slightly smeary, crumbly rind forms. The red smear bacteria dominate the microorganism society on this surface. As they multiply, unwanted microorganisms are displaced. This red smear also ensures the development of a distinctly spicy aroma.
With the exception of young, soft varieties, the rind is often not eaten as it sometimes develops an overly pungent aroma and also gives wines a metallic taste.
Some typical red smear cheeses are Maroilles , Époisses , Chaumes , Handkäse , Harzer cheese , Limburger , Munster , Pont-l'Évêque , Quargel , Reblochon , Romadur , Saint-Albray, Schlierbacher , Taleggio , Tilsiter , Weinkäse and Wilstermarschkäse , with Harzer, Quargel and Tilsiter did not receive any pronounced red smear treatments. The Limburger-type soft cheeses in particular are considered to be the cheeses with the strongest odor and are occasionally rejected as " smelly cheeses ", while those who love them appreciate the very aromatic, spicy taste.
Since red smear cheese can contain listeria , it is not recommended to consume it during pregnancy.
See also
literature
- Herbert Weber (Hrsg.): Microbiology of food. Part: Basics. 9th, completely revised edition. B. Behr's Verlag, Hamburg 2010, ISBN 978-3-89947-447-3 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Maike Groeneveld, Gesa Maschkowski: Prevent food infections . June 3, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2012.