Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery about the microorganisms responsible for the distinctive flavors and textures of three artisan British cheeses. Researchers at the University of Reading have identified the bacteria that help give these cheeses their unique character and found that some of these microbes may have potential benefits for human health.

The study, published in ACS Food Science & Technology, focused on three varieties made by Nettlebed Creamery in Oxfordshire. These included a soft white rind cheese aged for a little more than a week, a washed rind semi-soft cheese that matures over several weeks, and a semi-hard cheese aged in hay for about nine months.

Lead author Sabrina Longley, a PhD researcher in the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, explained: ‘Good cheese is delicious, and the artisan varieties we studied are full of microbial life that could have benefits to your gut health.’

The researchers collected samples at multiple stages of maturation and analyzed both their bacterial communities and chemical composition. All three cheeses contained bacteria with recognized probiotic potential, meaning they may help support populations of beneficial microbes in the gut. Streptococcus thermophilus, which is also commonly used as a yogurt starter, remained dominant in the semi-soft and harder cheeses throughout the maturation process. Lactococcus lactis was detected in all three cheeses from start to finish.

The washed rind cheese and hay-aged cheese also contained Propionibacterium freudenreichii. This bacterium produces propionic acid, a compound associated with anti-inflammatory properties, reduced cholesterol synthesis, and appetite regulation.

Cheese lovers who enjoy eating the rind may have another reason to do so. The white mold Penicillium candidum, which forms the characteristic rind on the soft cheese studied, produces chitin, a dietary fiber that may act as a prebiotic. Prebiotics serve as food for beneficial bacteria in the gut, potentially encouraging positive changes in the gut microbiota.

The hay aging process also appeared to have a striking effect on the harder cheese. As it matured, the diversity of bacterial species increased substantially. The fully mature cheese contained nearly four times as many bacterial species as the same cheese did earlier in the aging process.

The researchers also found that lactose, the sugar in cow’s milk that some people have difficulty digesting, was almost entirely absent from all three cheeses once they had matured. During fermentation, lactic acid bacteria broke down most of the lactose, leaving very little behind by the time the cheeses were ready to eat.

Key Findings

Bacteria with recognized probiotic potential were found in all three cheeses.

Streptococcus thermophilus remained dominant in the semi-soft and harder cheeses throughout the maturation process.

Lactococcus lactis was detected in all three cheeses from start to finish.

Propionibacterium freudenreichii produced propionic acid, a compound associated with anti-inflammatory properties, reduced cholesterol synthesis, and appetite regulation.

Penicillium candidum produced chitin, a dietary fiber that may act as a prebiotic.

The hay aging process increased the diversity of bacterial species in the harder cheese.

Lactose was almost entirely absent from all three cheeses once they had matured.

Conclusion

The researchers caution that more work is still needed to determine how these bacterial populations behave and change within the gut microbiota after the cheeses are consumed, as well as what effects they ultimately have on the human body.