It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018) • Hacker News Board

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#21

Post by _qg83 » Mon, Mar 31, 2025, 3:41 PM UTC

IneffablePigeon wrote: post #13

geetee wrote: post #3

How long until cheese makers start adding the crunchy crystals to give the appearance of quality without the actual quality?

This happens already, at least it does in the UK. Most cheaper brands of “extra mature” supermarket cheddar have added crystals. I don’t actually mind that much - I do think it is a genuinely slightly more enjoyable product with the crystals.

There are also fake ways of accelerating aging to create this effect, like the Old Amsterdam cheeses you’ll find in the Netherlands. That particular brand has a lot of fake qualities to it that creates these effects.

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#22

Post by cmrdporcupine » Mon, Mar 31, 2025, 3:42 PM UTC

xattt wrote: post #10

Tangential, but I recently noticed that natamycin, an antifungal agent, is being used in packages of shredded cheese as a preservative. I was a little taken aback on seeing it, given that antibiotic stewardship has been pushed so much in the last decade. I realize that natamycin is an antifungal and not an antibiotic, and that mechanisms of developing resistance are likely different between eukaryotes and prokaryotes…

Now you have me wondering if natamycin could be useful as an anti-fungal pesticide in my vineyard/orchard :-)

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#23

Post by coldpie » Mon, Mar 31, 2025, 3:45 PM UTC

stevenwoo wrote: post #12

I'm now kind of upset at myself that I have thrown out perfectly good Cheddar in the past due to white spots.

For firm & hard cheeses, the bad molds very rarely penetrate the surface. If you get some questionable looking mold on the outer surface, you can cut off the outer couple of mm and enjoy the remainder just fine. For rustic/home made cheeses, handling the "bad" mold on the outer surface is a normal part of the aging process before it makes it to the customer anyway. https://cheesemaking.com/blogs/learn/how-to-bandaging-chedda...

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#24

Post by tacitusarc » Mon, Mar 31, 2025, 3:47 PM UTC

stevenwoo wrote: post #12

I'm now kind of upset at myself that I have thrown out perfectly good Cheddar in the past due to white spots.

No, that is most likely mold. Not all white spots are positive, especially if they are on old cheese in the fridge (as per the article).

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#25

Post by 0_____0 » Mon, Mar 31, 2025, 3:48 PM UTC

xattt wrote: post #10

Tangential, but I recently noticed that natamycin, an antifungal agent, is being used in packages of shredded cheese as a preservative. I was a little taken aback on seeing it, given that antibiotic stewardship has been pushed so much in the last decade. I realize that natamycin is an antifungal and not an antibiotic, and that mechanisms of developing resistance are likely different between eukaryotes and prokaryotes…

Tangent on tangent - in addition to the antifungal there is also anticaking agent (nothing crazy, often some type of flour) that noticeably changes the mouthfeel of cheeses that come pre-shredded. If you notice a grainy texture in your food, try grating it off a brick instead!

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#26

Post by stevenwoo » Mon, Mar 31, 2025, 3:52 PM UTC

tacitusarc wrote: post #24

stevenwoo wrote: post #12

I'm now kind of upset at myself that I have thrown out perfectly good Cheddar in the past due to white spots.

No, that is most likely mold. Not all white spots are positive, especially if they are on old cheese in the fridge (as per the article).

It does give a method of testing at home at the end, though, with hard being crystal and soft being mold.

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#27

Post by ronyeh » Mon, Mar 31, 2025, 3:53 PM UTC

hart_russell wrote: post #20

xattt wrote: post #10

Tangential, but I recently noticed that natamycin, an antifungal agent, is being used in packages of shredded cheese as a preservative. I was a little taken aback on seeing it, given that antibiotic stewardship has been pushed so much in the last decade. I realize that natamycin is an antifungal and not an antibiotic, and that mechanisms of developing resistance are likely different between eukaryotes and prokaryotes…

"True, fungi cannot survive if its host's internal temperature is over 94 degrees," says Neuman. "Currently, there are no reasons for fungi to evolve to withstand higher temperatures. But what if that were to change? What if, for instance, the world were to get slightly warmer? Now there is reason to evolve."

Thanks for reminding me to rewatch it before the new season comes out (soon).

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#28

Post by throwway120385 » Mon, Mar 31, 2025, 3:54 PM UTC

cmrdporcupine wrote: post #22

xattt wrote: post #10

Tangential, but I recently noticed that natamycin, an antifungal agent, is being used in packages of shredded cheese as a preservative. I was a little taken aback on seeing it, given that antibiotic stewardship has been pushed so much in the last decade. I realize that natamycin is an antifungal and not an antibiotic, and that mechanisms of developing resistance are likely different between eukaryotes and prokaryotes…

Now you have me wondering if natamycin could be useful as an anti-fungal pesticide in my vineyard/orchard :-)

It might not be good for the fungi in the tree roots.

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#29

Post by cmrdporcupine » Mon, Mar 31, 2025, 3:55 PM UTC

throwway120385 wrote: post #28

cmrdporcupine wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Now you have me wondering if natamycin could be useful as an anti-fungal pesticide in my vineyard/orchard :-)

It might not be good for the fungi in the tree roots.

Very intense fungicides are sprayed all over these places already. Though most of them break down in sunlight and rain after a couple days.

Re: It’s not mold, it’s calcium lactate (2018)

#30

Post by xattt » Mon, Mar 31, 2025, 4:01 PM UTC

0_____0 wrote: post #25

xattt wrote: post #10

Tangential, but I recently noticed that natamycin, an antifungal agent, is being used in packages of shredded cheese as a preservative. I was a little taken aback on seeing it, given that antibiotic stewardship has been pushed so much in the last decade. I realize that natamycin is an antifungal and not an antibiotic, and that mechanisms of developing resistance are likely different between eukaryotes and prokaryotes…

Tangent on tangent - in addition to the antifungal there is also anticaking agent (nothing crazy, often some type of flour) that noticeably changes the mouthfeel of cheeses that come pre-shredded. If you notice a grainy texture in your food, try grating it off a brick instead!

I have been shredding my own for a while, since it's typically cheaper. It just happened to be that I was feeling lazy one particular day and bags of shredded cheese were on sale.