The worlds around us

I have been editing a story on biofilms, which is set to be in the October issue of Dairy Industries International. Biofilms, for those who are informed about this, are microscopic colonies of bacteria that can form in environments such as dairy processing plants. As these are undesirable in the wrong places, cleaning in place is a large part of the job in a modern dairy plant. The reliance on stainless steel in the dairy sector is also well known, as it is fairly inhospitable to the growth of moulds and bacteria. Or rather, biofilms.

Then again, what would an aged cheese be without a colony or two, particularly in the blue cheese sector? It is a marvel how such things can turn what is basically curdled milk into a delicious, edible cheese, or into yogurt, or some of the other many fermented and aged products we all enjoy in the dairy industry.

Things like this make me appreciate the hard work and skill that goes into making cheese and other products. It’s not the easiest thing to get the proportions right, particularly in the artisan sector, but yet people do and produce marvellous cheeses for all to enjoy.

Which brings me to another topic. Please make sure you see Jenny Deeprose’s report on the International Cheese Awards at Nantwich, where she helped get to grips with some blue cheeses (filled with microscopic colonies) and saw a Roquefort win the top prize. Happy eating, everyone.

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