As a cheese lover, I’ve always wondered what comprises the white rind of brie. I used my tweezers to gently remove a spot of the airy white substance and placed it on a simple glass slide (no water). Under inspection, one can see the thin filaments of
 
 Penicillium camemberti,
 
 a fungus cheesemakers mix with camembert, brie, langres, and coulommier cheeses to provide their distinctive taste and soft texture. The fungus, however, also colonizes the surface of the cheese, forming the mysterious (yet edible) white rind that encases it.


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Penicillium camemberti: The Rind of Brie

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