Penisillium candidum is also called Penicillium camemberti, Penicillium biforme and Penicillium caseicola. This fungus belongs to the class of Eurocyomycetes, the Trichocomid family and the genus Penisillium.
Being in food products, white mold multiplies rapidly, due to which it is actively used in modern cheese making. Penisillium candidum is used in recipes for the preparation of a huge number of varieties of cheese - and from cow's milk, and from goat, and from sheep. The most popular of them are the varieties "Camembert" and "Brie", but the following cheese brands are also known - "Valence", "Saint-Mor" (also called "Saint-Mor-de-Touraine") and others.
This mold culture has a specific smell and taste that resembles a mixture of fresh mushrooms and nuts. Penisillium candidum, added to milk, even in small quantities, interacts very quickly with it, and then with semi-prepared soft cheese. The main function of this culture is to protect the product from the ingress of pathogenic spores, and the main helper of mold is its other variety, Geotrichum Candidum. The latter forms a well-known white crust on the surface of the cheese, resembling fluff or snow.
Mixing the two cultures is optional. For example, only Geotrichum Candidum is very often used in the recipe for soft goat cheeses. It all depends on the traditions, the characteristics of the recipe and what the final result expects the cheese maker.
To learn more about soft cheeses with blue mold, the articles on HowProsto will help you! - "Homemade cheese making and the preparation of delicious creamy Camembert and brie", "The history of the origin and peculiarities of the Brie variety in cheese making", "Features of the choice of the form for making Camembert in cheese making" and "Traditions of keeping Camembert cheese in cheese making" …
