Kinds Of Cheese Research Articles

Fiber optic fluorescence as non-invasive tool to monitor the ripening process of cheeses: Torta del casar and Queso de la Serena

In this work, the use of excitation-emission fluorescence matrices (EEMs) has been addressed to differentiate two kinds of cheeses with protected designations of origin (PDO), “Torta del Casar” and “Queso de la Serena”. The fluorescence signals were recorded directly on cheese samples during the ripening process, by using a fiber optic assembled to the fluorescence spectrometer, and the data were subjected to analysis by the multivariate algorithm parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). PARAFAC analysis identified the presence of three fluorophores in both cheeses. The scores of the two first components, attributed to the presence of tryptophane, decreased as the ripening time increased. However, the third component, related to retinol (vitamin A), remains almost constant along the ripening period. EEMs of the samples of the two types of cheese were similar in the initial days of the maturation periods. However, when only the samples from day 36 onwards were considered, it was possible to differentiate them with high precision by PARAFAC in combination with linear discriminant analysis (LDA).In addition, a model was built for the quantification of vitamin A and α-tocopherol (vitamin E), by using the EEMs combined with the multivariate unfolded partial least squares (UPLS) algorithm.

The Controversial Nature of Some Non-Starter Lactic Acid Bacteria Actively Participating in Cheese Ripening.

This mini review deals with some controversial non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) species known to be both human and animal pathogens but also health-promoting and probiotic. The focus is on Lactococcus garvieae, two Streptococcus species (S. uberis and S. parauberis), four Weissella species (W. hellenica, W. confusa, W. paramesenteroides, and W. cibaria), and Mammalicoccus sciuri, which worldwide, are often found within the microbiotas of different kinds of cheese, mainly traditional artisanal cheeses made from raw milk and/or relying on environmental bacteria for their ripening. Based on literature data, the virulence and health-promoting effects of these bacteria are examined, and some of the mechanisms of these actions are reviewed. Additionally, their possible roles in cheese ripening are also discussed. The analysis of the literature data available so far showed that, in general, the pathogenic and the beneficial strains, despite belonging to the same species, show somewhat different genetic constitutions. Yet, when the safety of a given strain is assessed, genomic analysis on its own is not enough, and a polyphasic approach including additional physiological and functional tests is needed.

Functional Swiss-type cheeses promote beneficial effects in mice gut microbiome during homeostasis and inflammation

The impact of Functional foods on the gut microbiota is a fundamental question since shifts in bacterial composition are associated with inflammation progression. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of two types of cheeses fermented by probiotic bacteria in C57BL6 mice either in healthy conditions or in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. One cheese was fermented by Propionibacterium freudenreichii CIRM-BIA129. A second kind of cheese was made in industrial conditions to reproduce Emmental but using the above-mentioned strain in combination with Lactobacillusdelbrueckii CNRZ327 and Streptococcus thermophilus LMD-9 as starters. The gut microbiota was investigated by shotgun metagenomic sequencing and the taxonomic and functional profiles were assessed through sequence alignment to NCBI taxonomy and KEGG pathways databases. Our results suggest that both treatments did not disturb the microbial community ecology. Emmental intake increased symbionts as Romboutsia and Akkermansia muciniphila. Furthermore, metabolic pathway analysis suggests that A. muciniphila may produce bioactive metabolites as acetate and cooperate with other commensal species to produce indole and gamma-aminobutyric acid. Mice with colitis have restored some of the impaired microbiome metabolic functions when treated with cheese fermented only by Propionibacterium, while the Emmental cheese promoted the increase of Ligilactobacillus murinus. This taxon presented several genes with immunomodulatory activity potential. This study provides insights for engineering functional cheeses to increase beneficial bacteria in the gut. However, further studies are required to investigate their role in regulating the gut-brain axis. Moreover, possible anti-inflammatory mechanisms based on the promotion of Lg. murinus interaction with the host was suggested.

Analysis of the effect of Tenebrio Molitor rennet on the flavor formation of Cheddar cheese during ripening based on gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS)

This study aimed to evaluate the potential application of Tenebrio Molitor rennet (TMR) in Cheddar cheese production, and to use gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) to monitor flavor compounds and fingerprints of cheese during ripening. The results indicated that Cheddar cheese prepared from TMR (TF) has fat content significantly lower than that of commercial rennet (CF) (p < 0.05). However, the results of the sensory evaluation showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the two kinds of cheese (p > 0.05). Both cheeses were rich in free amino acids and free fatty acids. Compared to the CF cheese, gamma-aminobutyric acid and Ornithine contents of the TF cheese reached 187 and 749 mg/kg, respectively, during 120 days of ripening. Moreover, GC-IMS provided information on the characteristics of 40 flavor substances (monomers and dimers) in the TF cheese during ripening. Only 30 flavor substances were identified in the CF cheese. The fingerprint of the two kinds of cheese during ripening can be established by GC-IMS and principal component analysis based on the identified flavor compounds. Therefore, TMR has potential application in Cheddar cheese production. GC-IMS might be applied for the quick, accurate and comprehensive monitoring of cheese flavor during ripening.

Isolation, identification, and antimicrobial activity of lactic acid bacteria associated with two traditional Colombian types of cheese: Quesillo and double-cream cheese

The Quesillo and Double-Cream, two traditional pasta filata fresh cheeses from the Colombian Andean region, were studied for their microbiological composition including lactic acid bacteria (LAB), volatile diacetyl and acetoin compounds, fatty acid profile, and antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes ATCC-7644 and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC-13311. The counts of indicator microorganisms were consistent with those found in this product. The fatty acid composition varied, with oleic and palmitic acids having the largest concentrations. The aroma precursor compound acetoin was detected in both kinds of cheese. The most prevalent species in both products was Lactococcus lactis, which was followed by Enterococcus faecium and Limosilactobacillus fermentum. The inhibition against the pathogens under study was seen in the cell-free supernatants of L. lactis (Quesillo 37–41), L. fermentum (Quesillo 40–74; Double-Cream 104) and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (Double-Cream 101) with good activity at pH 7.0 and 60 °C. The antimicrobial activity of L. paracasei (Double-Cream 101) and L. fermentum (Double-Cream 104) against Listeria monocytogenes at all temperatures and times analyzed was highlighted. These findings suggest that the LAB used in this study, which was derived from artisanal cheeses, has bioprospecting potential for application in the elaboration of these traditional products and new dairy products.

State of the Art on Functional Coatings for Applications in The Agri-Food Industry

Nowadays, consumer’s awareness regarding edible and functional coatings used in the food industry is increasing because of their novel approach on prolonging the shelf life of agri-food products that during storage, are subjected to a loss of quality attributes, which inevitably contributes to food waste. In order to combat this problem, functional coatings and edible films can be used because of their capability to extend the shelf life of food products by providing gas and water barrier properties and delaying microbial spoilage. The aim of this study is to review the literature and outline the most recent findings and developments regarding edible and functional coatings used in the food industry. Functional and edible coatings can be applied on different types of food products, like meat products, different kinds of cheeses and fruits and vegetables. mainly because they help maintain the organoleptic proprieties, such as aroma, taste and appearance and prologue their shelf life. The new concept of functional coatings and edible packaging has significantly influenced the marketing and safety aspects of food products and further studies and developments are needed to improve these technologies

Preparation and physicochemical effects of zein nanofiber membrane encapsulated with citral/HP-β-CD inclusion complex and its application on cheese

As a nutritious cold chain food, cheese is susceptible to Listeria monocytogenes contamination. In order to prevent and control Listeria monocytogenes in cheese safely and efficiently, maintain the sensory quality during sale, this paper developed a novel nanofiber membrane with good mechanical strength, hydrophobicity, thermal stability, release performance and bacteriostatic performance as food active packaging. In this study, zein was introduced and electrospun to form a reliable carrier to embed and deliver citral in the cavity of HP-β-CD (Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin). We found that the zein-based nanofiber membranes showed preferable tensile properties and hydrophobicity with 4% (w:v) addition of citral/HP-β-CD inclusion complex. Meanwhile, the thermal stability and release property of citral were significantly improved by embedding in HP-β-CD and loading into zein-base nanofiber membranes. Moreover, after packaged by Zein nanofiber membrane encapsulated with citral/HP-β-CD inclusion complex under the storage conditions of 4 °C and 12 °C, the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in four kinds of cheeses was inhibited to a certain degree. The texture and sensory quality of the four cheeses at the two temperatures and the color quality under the low temperature condition of 4 °C did not change significantly. In summary, Zein nanofiber membranes encapsulated with citral/HP-β-CD inclusion complex has potential application prospects in the field of food active packaging.

Metataxonomic sequencing to assess microbial safety of Turkish white cheeses.

High-throughput sequencing has provided a way to monitor the large diversity of microorganisms in fermented foods that have complex microbiota. Up to date, many kinds of cheese have been characterized with the metataxonomic approach, but the safety of unpacked Turkish white cheeses, which are widely consumed in Turkey, has not been assessed. In this study, fifteen unpacked white cheeses sold in public bazaars in Ankara province have been collected and subjected to microbial enumeration as well as physicochemical analysis. Five white cheeses, which have relatively the highest foodborne pathogens, out of fifteen white cheeses, have been analyzed by next-generation sequencing and metataxonomic analysis. According to the results, abundant families were Lactobacillaceae, Oceanospirillaceae, Enterococcaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, and Vibrionaceae. Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and Salmonella, which are indicators of bad hygiene and sanitation conditions, were found in cheeses. In conclusion, culture-independent methods such as metataxonomic can be important to evaluate the safety of foods.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE QUALITY OF MILK AS RAW MATERIAL FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CHEESE

Requirements for the quality of "raw milk" used for processing into dairy products are different. Depending on the purpose, type and technology of production of various dairy products, milk must have certain properties. The most important dairy product in human nutrition is cheese. Cheese contains all the nutrients of milk in concentrated form. It is a source of biologically complete protein, rich in fats and vitamins. The calcium and phosphorus salts it contains help to strengthen bone tissue. In this regard, cheeses should be included in the daily diet of various categories and age groups of the population, especially in regions with a difficult ecological situation. When producing any kind of cheese, an important place is given to the composition and properties of milk, processed raw materials. There is a special concept - "Cheese milk", so the organization of cheese production should begin with the study of milk, the characteristics of its properties and composition. In terms of density and acidity, milk from cows of all groups at different periods of calving met the requirements of DSTU for premium milk. The density of milk was in the range of 1.027-1.028 g / cm3, acidity 16.50-17.45 ° T, mass fraction of fat 4.11-4.43%, protein 3.25-3.29%. With an increase in the amount of fat in milk, the protein content decreased, the highest fat content was observed in cows of the fourth group (4.43%), while the group had the lowest protein content - 3.25%. The lowest indicators in terms of fat content of milk were in cows of the second group (4.11%), and in terms of protein content - the highest in the first group (3.29%). The higher the fat utilization, the lower the milk consumption per kg of cheese derived from it. They were the smallest in cows of autumn (7.29 kg) and spring (7.43 kg) calving, and the highest in cows of winter (8.05 kg) and summer (7.96 kg) calving. At the same time, the difference between the minimum and maximum indicators was 0.76 kg or 10.4%. Low milk costs per 1 kg of cheese obtained from it were found in autumn (7.29 kg) and spring (7.43 kg) calving cows, high in winter (8.05 kg) and summer (7.96 kg) calving cows.

Effect of feeding type and artisanal process in microstructural and physicochemical parameters of fresh and ripened goat cheese

The objective of the present work was to determine the influence of feeding type and artisanal process on microstructural and physicochemical parameters of goat cheeses. The cheeses were made with goat's milk from goats which were fed with different forages: (1) reed (Cissu verticillata) and King grass (Saccharum sinense), (2) mulberry (Morus alba) leaves and orange (Citrus sinensis) peels, (3) alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and corn (Zea mays) stover, and (4) bellota (Quercus ilex) and Kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum). Fresh and ripened artisanal cheeses were analysed by scanning electron microscopy and image analysis. Results showed that goat’s milk of goats fed with mulberry leaves and orange peels generated larger conglomerates of fat in both types of cheeses, while the microstructure of the rest of the cheeses presented protein networks. A low pH and moisture content contributed to the formation of lactose crystals which ended in a compact microstructure, propitiating, reduction of the number of pores, porosity, and increase in the breakability of ripened cheeses. Pores of elongated shapes with irregular edges characterised the microstructure of both kinds of cheeses. Through discriminant analysis, it was found that the effect of the type of cheese and type of goat feeding influenced the microstructural and physicochemical parameters such as pore number, porosity, pore size, pore perimeter, roundness, FF, AR, SOL, tortuosity, INP-DI, PAZ, fat, moisture, and pH.

Water mobility in cheese by means of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance relaxometry

1 H NMR relaxometry studies have been performed for different kinds of cheese in order to enquire into mechanisms of water mobility in the cheese structures. The exploited frequency range, from 4 kHz to 40 MHz, allowed probing water dynamics on a broad range of time scales. Two fractions of water of much different dynamical properties, referred to as confined-water and free-water, have been revealed. It has been demonstrated that dynamics of water molecules confined in the macromolecular matrix is about four orders of magnitude slower compared to bulk water, while the second fraction exhibits dynamics by slower only by one order of magnitude. It has turned out that the differences in the water behaviour and, hence, macroscopic properties of cheese are related to differences in the relative populations of these fractions and the portion of water molecules bound to proteins, while the time scale of water dynamics is similar for all cases. • NMR relaxometry allows to probe water dynamics in food products. • Cheese includes “confined-water” and “free-water” fractions. • Dynamics of confined water is by four orders of magnitude slower than in bulk water. • Dynamics of water in different kinds of cheese is similar. • Properties of cheese dependent on the population of the water pools.

Physicochemical Composition, Antioxidant Status, Fatty Acid Profile, and Volatile Compounds of Milk and Fresh and Ripened Ewes' Cheese from a Sustainable Part-Time Grazing System.

We conducted the first nutritional analysis of dairy products from the traditional Roja Mallorquina sheep breed. Samples of bulk raw milk were taken twice a month from December 2015 to March 2016 from sheep fed using a part-time grazing system, and fresh soft (FC, n = 8) and ripened (RC, n = 8) cheeses were made. The variability in vitamins, total phenolic compounds (TPC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and fatty acid (FA) content was influenced by the cheese-making process (differences between the cheese and the original milk) and by the type of cheese-making technology (mainly related to heating, the use of starter culture, and ripening). The most notable physicochemical characteristic of the cheeses was low fat content (24.1 and 29.6 g/100 g for FC and RC). Milk and RC were characterised by major concentrations of retinol (211.4 and 233.6 μg/100 g dry matter (DM), respectively) and TPC (18.7 and 54.6 μg/100 g DM, respectively), while FC was characterised by major concentrations of retinol (376.4 μg) and α-tocopherol (361.7 μg). The fat-soluble components of the FC generally exhibited better nutritional value for human health than those of the milk and RC, with a higher level of retinol and α-tocopherol; lower values for saturated FA, atherogenic, and thrombogenic indices; and higher levels of monounsaturated FA, polyunsaturated FA, n-3, and n-6. Acids, alcohols, and ketones comprised almost 95% of the volatile compounds detected. Acetoin and products of lactose and citrate metabolism played an important role in the development of the aromatic attributes of both kinds of cheese. This preliminary study can contribute to add value to these traditional products according to healthy nutritional criteria and supports the implementation of strategies to promote their commercialisation and obtain product labelling as “pasture-fed” or specific marks.

Determination of Nitrate Ion in Cheese and Sake

The Japanese official analysis method for determination of nitrate ions in food products used as food additives is associated with various challenges. In some kinds of cheese, the extract becomes suspended. The volume of extracted solution is often not accurate owing to the presence of residues in the solution. Moreover, the determination with liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) is difficult owing to the influence of impurities. Sake usually does not contain lipids or proteins ; therefore, its analysis can be simplified by omitting the co-precipitation steps to remove them. In the present study, for cheese, the amount of sodium hydroxide solution that causes suspension was reduced, and the influence of residues was removed by adjusting the volume after suction filtration. Whereas, sake was diluted with water and centrifuged. Furthermore, solid-phase extraction (SPE) method using cartridge containing carbon molecular sieve to remove the influence of impurities on the chromatogram was successfully established. The recoveries of the nitrate ions were good outcomes of 91.3-99.6% (CV 0.9-4.5%) (n=5). The analysis range was 0.010-0.20 g/kg for cheese, 0.010-0.20 g/L for milk, and 0.010-0.10 g/kg for sake. The developed analysis methods are considered useful, because various challenges of the official analysis method can be solved and the operation are efficient.

Pruning and repopulating a lexical taxonomy: experiments in Spanish, English and French

Abstract In this paper we present the problem of a noisy lexical taxonomy and suggest two tasks as potential remedies. The first task is to identify and eliminate incorrect hypernymy links, and the second is to repopulate the taxonomy with new relations. The first task consists of revising the entire taxonomy and returning a Boolean for each assertion of hypernymy between two nouns (e.g. brie is a kind of cheese). The second task consists of recursively producing a chain of hypernyms for a given noun, until the most general node in the taxonomy is reached (e.g. brie → cheese → food → etc.). In order to achieve these goals, we implemented a hybrid hypernym-detection algorithm that incorporates various intuitions, such as syntagmatic, paradigmatic and morphological association measures as well as lexical patterns. We evaluate these algorithms individually and collectively and report findings in Spanish, English and French.

Effect of Citrus By-product on Physicochemical Parameters, Sensory Analysis and Volatile Composition of Different Kinds of Cheese from Raw Goat Milk.

The increased use of concentrates to reduce pasture as a feed source in productive systems like Payoya breed goat farms has made it necessary to decrease feeding costs. The inclusion of agro-industry by-products such as dry orange pulp pellets in goat diets has been suggested as a sustainable alternative to cereal-based concentrates. The aim of this work was to assess the influence of diets including dry orange pulp pellets on the quality of cheeses traditionally made from Payoya breed goat milk. We analysed the physicochemical characteristics, sensory properties and volatile compound profiles of 18 artisanal cheeses made from raw Payoya milk. In this study, goats were fed with different concentrations of dry orange pulp; and cheeses were curdled with animal and vegetable coagulants. Slight differences were detected between some cheeses. However, the use of citrus by-products in the Payoya goat diets did not substantially affect the cheeses’ physicochemical properties, olfactory attributes, or volatile profiles. Therefore, dried citrus pulp can be used as a substitute for cereal concentrates without affecting the distinct properties of these ripened raw goat milk cheeses.

Domestication of the Emblematic White Cheese-Making Fungus Penicillium camemberti and Its Diversification into Two Varieties

Domestication involves recent adaptation under strong human selection and rapid diversification and therefore constitutes a good model for studies of these processes. We studied the domestication of the emblematic white mold Penicillium camemberti, used for the maturation of soft cheeses, such as Camembert and Brie, about which surprisingly little was known, despite its economic and cultural importance. Whole-genome-based analyses of genetic relationships and diversity revealed that an ancient domestication event led to the emergence of the gray-green P.biforme mold used in cheese making, by divergence from the blue-green wild P.fuscoglaucum fungus. Another much more recent domestication event led to the generation of the P.camemberti clonal lineage as a sister group to P.biforme. Penicillium biforme displayed signs of phenotypic adaptation to cheese making relative to P.fuscoglaucum, in terms of whiter color, faster growth on cheese medium under cave conditions, lower amounts of toxin production, and greater ability to prevent the growth of other fungi. The P.camemberti lineage displayed even stronger signs of domestication for all these phenotypic features. We also identified two differentiated P.camemberti varieties, apparently associated with different kinds of cheeses and with contrasted phenotypic features in terms of color, growth, toxin production, and competitive ability. We have thus identified footprints of domestication in these fungi, with genetic differentiation between cheese and wild populations, bottlenecks, and specific phenotypic traits beneficial for cheese making. This study has not only fundamental implications for our understanding of domestication but can also have important effects on cheese making.

Impact of Lactococcus lactis as starter culture on microbiota and metabolome profile of an Italian raw milk cheese

The standardisation of raw milk cheeses without losing their typicality is an ambitious goal. In the present study, the performance of two Lactococcus lactis autochthonous starter cultures (AS1 and AS2) was evaluated for the production of Valle d'Aosta (VdA, Italy) Fromadzo PDO, in terms of competition and persistence capacity (by rep-PCR strain characterisation), influence on indigenous microbial population (by metataxonomic approach) and volatilome development (by GC–MS and sensory analysis). The best performance was shown by AS2 starter mixture, which was able to colonise Fromadzo cheeses at the expense of indigenous lactic microbiota, and reached mean frequency values of 87% and 70% in 30 day-ripened products from valley floor and alpine pasture milk, respectively. Moreover, both kinds of cheeses, obtained using AS2, achieved the best scores in terms of aroma and taste, the pasture cheese also achieving the best score for texture.

The Effects of Microbial Transglutaminase (MTG) Enzyme Usage on Sensory Properties of Hatay Cheese

Hatay Cheese is a kind of cheese produced in and around Hatay with its own shapes and sizes. In this study, the use of microbial transglutaminase enzyme was tried to improve the textural structure of Hatay cheese which is in fresh cheese class. Enzymatic modification of milk proteins by microbial transglutaminase enzyme has been applied in the production of half-fat Hatay cheese with different pre-ripening time applications and some sensory properties of the cheeses have been investigated such as external appearance, internal appearance, texture, odor and taste during 60 days of storage. In this study, four different Hatay cheese were produced as control sample (A), 30 minutes pre-ripening with enzyme (B), 45 minutes pre-ripening with enzyme (C) and 60 minutes pre-ripening with enzyme (D). When the sensory properties of the cheeses were examined, it was observed that the application of different pre-ripening time significantly affected the external appearance, internal appearance, texture and taste scores on the 60th day of storage (p 0.05). The effects of different pre-ripening periods and storage time on the odor scores of the cheeses were not significant (p>0.05). Taste scores of cheese D were significantly affected by storage time (p<0.05). As a result of all sensory analyzes, it was found that the cheeses supplemented with MTG enzyme were more liked and the scores given to the cheeses increased as the pre-ripening period increased. As a result, the most admired cheese was D cheese.

The use of laminaria in the manufacture of soft cheeses

This article presents a reserarch on the use of iodine-containing dietary supplements – kelp in the formulation of soft cheese. The kelp brought in experienced options formula before thermocycling coagulation in the amount of 0.2 % by weight of the formula. In control supplement laminaria has not imposed. All kinds of cheese, both a control, and test samples were manufactured from the same batch of milk as raw material. Technological process of establishing fortified with iodine thermocycling cheese included the following operations: preparation of the milk to thermocycling coagulation; heating; the introduction of the flavoring component and thermocycling coagulation of milk proteins; formation; selfpressing the curd; salting; form of pale malt; cooling; packaging; storage. The results showed that the introduction of kelp powder does not degrade the quality of the cheese but gives it a certain spicy flavour peculiar to seaweed and is a product of functional purpose.

Domestication of the Emblematic White Cheese-Making Fungus &lt;i&gt;Penicillium camemberti&lt;/i&gt; and Its Diversification into Two Varieties

Domestication involves recent adaptation under strong human selection and rapid diversification, and therefore constitutes a good model for studies of these processes. We studied the domestication of the emblematic white mold Penicillium camemberti, used for the maturation of soft cheeses, such as Camembert and Brie, about which surprisingly little was known, despite its economic and cultural importance. Whole genome-based analyses of genetic relationships and diversity revealed that an ancient domestication event led to the emergence of the gray-green P. biforme mold used in cheese-making, from the blue-green wild P. fuscoglaucum fungus. Another much more recent domestication event led to the generation of the P. camemberti clonal lineage from P. biforme. Both these domestication events were associated with strong bottlenecks. Penicillium biforme displayed signs of phenotypic adaptation to cheese-making relative to P. fuscoglaucum, in terms of its whiter color, faster growth on cheese medium under cave conditions, lower levels of toxin production and greater ability to prevent the growth of other fungi. The P. camemberti lineage displayed even stronger signs of domestication for all these phenotypic features. We also identified two differentiated P. camemberti lineages linked to different kinds of cheeses with contrasted phenotypic features in terms of color, growth, toxin production and competitive ability. We have, thus, identified footprints of domestication in these fungi, with genetic differentiation between cheese and wild strains and specific phenotypic traits beneficial for cheese-making. This study has not only fundamental implications for our understanding of domestication but can also have important impacts on cheese-making.