• Question: Why are some cheeses smelly?

    Asked by lasagnegirl12 to David, Helen, Ian, rhysphillips, Sarah on 21 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Rhys Phillips

      Rhys Phillips answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      It’s all to do with the bacteria living on the cheese – they break it down into it’s various chemicals, some of which can give off nasty smells.

    • Photo: Helen Fletcher

      Helen Fletcher answered on 19 Jun 2011:

      Cheeses vary according to the type of animal milk used, type of microbes used to ferment it, and length of time it is matured (ie. left to rot) for. Introducing mould and bacteria to a goats milk and leaving it for 2 years is going to make it very smelly indeed…. some of the bacteria used to make cheese (brevibacteria) are related to the ones you find on peoples feet which is why those cheeses smell so bad!!

    • Photo: Sarah Cook

      Sarah Cook answered on 19 Jun 2011:

      Its down to the bugs! yum yum

    • Photo: Ian van der Linde

      Ian van der Linde answered on 21 Jun 2011:

      Because French people like them that way – the smellier the better. That and the microbes (see Helen’s answer).

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