Bacteria in cheese is good for the gut

The bacteria in cheese could be good for the gut.

But it’s not the case for mass-produced cheeses—it’s the artisan variety that contains the good bacteria that can support a healthy gut microbiome.  The bacteria are part of the ageing process of the cheeses as they mature and start to give off a distinctive odour.

Scientists at Reading University in the UK have analysed three cheeses made by Nettlebed Creamery in Oxfordshire: 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.

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.

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.

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