Really cheesy chemistry
Stilton, camembert, limburger and cheddar - why, and how, does cheese come in such a variety of smells and tastes?
Charles de Gaulle's famous 1962 remark 'How can anyone govern a nation that has 246 different kinds of cheese?' is a reminder of the sheer variety of gustatory experience provided by cheese, which has been made for over 4000 years. The discovery of cheese provided the ultimate long-life milk, a foodstuff containing a lot of protein and fat, a source of essential amino acids as well as vitamins and minerals (eg calcium). So why is stilton so different to cheddar and to camembert, and why does limburger smell of sweaty feet?
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