Back in February, the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) announced some pretty dismal news. Many of our favorite cheeses, including Camembert, brie and various blue cheese varieties, are on the “verge of extinction” due to a collapse in microbial diversity.
The issue centers on one specific strain of fungi called Penicillium camemberti, which is revered as “the gold standard for brie and Camembert” because of its appetizing qualities. Cheese itself contains its own ecosystem of molds, yeasts and bacteria that work in tandem to give cheese their signature funk. However, in recent years, the genetic diversity of such microbes has declined immensely. Many signature French cheeses currently rely on just one single fragile strain of fungi — Penicillium camemberti — which is unfortunately at risk of dying out.
Unlike most molds, Penicillium camemberti can’t reproduce sexually with other fungi to create new genetic diversity. As a result, cheesemakers have to clone it — but that has become increasingly difficult because of mutations that interfere with the fungi’s ability to produce spores. Jeanne Ropars, an evolutionary biologist who works at a lab affiliated with CNRS, told Vox that the at-risk cheeses won’t disappear in an instant. Instead, they will “be more and more difficult to produce.”
Ropars and her team, in conversation with The Washington Post, also suggested consumers expand their palate and get comfortable with funkier-looking and tasting cheeses. That essentially means Camembert and brie made with other mold strains.
The recent news shocked many cheese-lovers, particularly those who adore brie. On X — the social platform formerly known as Twitter — brie enthusiasts mourned the possible extinction of their go-to stinky cheese. “Brie cheese is going extinct and [you're] not doing anything? Scientists in France made it asexual and now the bacteria that creates it cannot [reproduce] on its own and [it's] dying out at alarming rates and [you're] just typing in a spreadsheet at work? Appalling,” said one user.
“LORD NOT BRIE CHEESE!!!! TAKE ME INSTEAD,” wrote another distraught brie cheese fan, while another wrote, “Actual representation of me (I’m craving brie cheese and can’t find it anywhere)” alongside a bloody picture of Patrick Bateman.
In the wake of the recent news, people online have been whipping up recipes, charcuterie boards and more in an attempt to enjoy brie before it officially bids adieu. Emmy Rener — founder of Sophisticated Spreads, a charcuterie board business (@sophisticatedspreads) — posted a TikTok of a charcuterie spread complete with a wheel of brie, nuts, crackers and fruit. “When you find that BRIE CHEESE might go extinct because the world doesn’t have enough bacteria to produce it,” a caption in the video read.
@sophisticatedspreads crying screaming eating cheese #briecheese #camembert #cheese #extinction ♬ son original - Découverte 💡
Another user followed suit, posting a video that said, “me on the way to make a charcuterie board after hearing brie is going extinct because it is literally my favorite cheese and a world without brie and raspberry preservatives is not a world I want to live in.”
@barteltheswell plz brie bacteria dont go #brie #briecheese #briecheesebites #extinct #extinctcheese ♬ оригинальный звук - Aizh
Others strayed away from elaborate cheese spreads and instead, shared their recipes for brie grilled cheese. A few folks flocked to their local grocery stores to stock up on all the brie they could find. And some even asserted that they were officially giving up brie for good to savor in other cheeses, like feta and gouda.
If you’re looking for an easy and delicious brie recipe to enjoy as soon as possible, Salon Food has got you covered. Be sure to try Maggie Hennessy’s fresh tomato and buttery brie pasta: “Think of this dish as bruschetta in pasta form, best eaten on the desk in a shirt you're not afraid of splattering with pinkish sauce.” In addition to its two star ingredients, the pasta calls for spaghetti, extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil leaves, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt. The pasta is best enjoyed alongside an ice-cold glass of dry rosé, per Hennessy’s recommendation.
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