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The opisthonotal glands of Astigmata contain monoterpenes, aromatics, aliphatics, and other volatile compounds; some of these compounds act as pheromones and have antifungal effects. This study analyzed volatile compounds secreted by mites on three traditional mite-ripened cheeses from producers (Milbenkäse from Germany, Mimolette and Artisou from France). The mites obtained from various traditional ripened French cheeses (Mimolette, Laguiole, Salers, and Cantal vieux) from stores were also investigated. The gas chromatography (GC) profiles of all their hexane extracts, except the Cantal vieux one, showed almost no differences and were identical to that of Tyrolichus casei Oudemans except for trace components. Based on the GC results, the mites of Cantal vieux were identified as Acarus siro L. For the Artisou and Cantal vieux, not studied before, the influence of the mite secretions on their characteristics was investigated by analyzing the headspace volatiles from the cheeses. According to the results, neral secreted from T. casei is the main compound responsible for the lemon-like flavor of the mite-ripened cheeses, which is, hence, due to a component of the mite secretions rather than the fermentation of the cheese itself. Moreover, the compounds secreted by the mites are not directly added to the cheese through ripening as they were not detected in the odors of the Artisou and Cantal vieux after the mites were removed. However, the consumers of the Artisou usually eat also the cheese rind, and thus, can enjoy its lemon-like flavor fully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we question to what extent origin-food labels, namely Geographical Indications (GIs) and Slow Food Presidia, may effectively account for cultural biodiversity (CB). Building on Foucault's discourse theory, we question how the Slow Food movement and GI promoters have developed their own discourse and practice on CB, how these discourses contrast, and how they inform projects. Focusing on the practices to cultivate the microbiological life of three origin labeled cheeses (from France and Italy), we have revealed the gap between these institutional discourses and what happens on the ground. We argue that how actors' relationships in the marketplace unfold, from public authorities to the collectives of producers to consumers, may threaten the effects that these experiences of alternative food productions may have in the defense of biodiversity, causing, for instance, the loss of diversity of the invisible microbial ecosystems of artisan raw milk cheese. However, we conclude that, despite limitations, the mediatized institutional narrative on CB can amplify the political voice of local actors by fostering community and social relationships between the farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: A number of food quality schemes may be associated with dairy products, promoting specific production methods (e.g., organic) as well as products obtained from a narrow area of origin (e.g., protected designation of origin, PDO). The coexistence of multiple labels is less investigated in the literature, even if its role in consumer studies could reveal interesting hints for both the stakeholders in the production chains (e.g., to target marketing strategies) and for consumers, who could access more precise information about the origin and the production processes. In this study, we provide evidence of consumers' preferences and willingness to pay for cheese products (Comté and Parmigiano Reggiano) in two EU countries (France and Italy, respectively). We found how consumers' choices varied by combining the PDO label with other quality features (i.e., the organic label in France, and the Mountain Product label in Italy). Still, price remained the most important factor influencing consumers' decisions; however, we found how combined food quality labels could influence consumers' choices. We found different market segments in the two countries presenting more positive attitudes towards quality-labeled food products, thus providing stakeholders with helpful information on how to develop tailored marketing strategies. The paper examined the potential demand for a food specialty dairy product, cheese, with alternative multiple labels. A random-parameter logit model was applied to interpret the results of online discrete choice experiments (DCE) for the elicitation of the preference of the cheese consumers surveyed in two European countries, France (n = 400) and Italy (n = 408). We analyzed consumers' choices of quality-labeled cheeses, i.e., protected-designation-of-origin (PDO)-labeled Parmigiano Reggiano and Comté. Other features were tested, such as organic (Comté) and Mountain Product (Parmigiano Reggiano) labels, companies' brands and price. The paper contributes to the literature on credence attributes by examining consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for differentiated cheese products in two EU countries, and by identifying the effects of personal characteristics, in terms of socio-demographics and level of product involvement, on the differences in preferences. The results show that price was the most important attribute in both countries, followed by the PDO quality label, particularly when paired with the second quality feature. Two cheese consumer segments were identified via latent class models in each country, helping producers to improve their marketing of agri-food products with a high gastronomic value and differentiation potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine whether the mites used in the ripening process of traditional cheeses are genetically unique to cheese factories, we investigated mites from three types of traditional cheeses, that use mites in the ripening process: 'Würchwitzer Milbenkäse' from Germany and 'Mimolette' and 'Artisou' from France. In addition, traditional ripened cheeses were purchased from cheese specialty stores in France (Mimolette) and Japan ('Laguiole' from France) as well as stores in temporary markets in France ('Salers' and 'Cantal vieux') and the mites obtained from those cheeses were analyzed in this study. Partial sequences of the 28S rRNA gene (28S) were determined and used to reconstruct a phylogenetic tree. Tyrolichus casei, the dominant cheese mite species from the ripening cabinets of three traditional cheese producers and two cheese specialty stores in France and Japan, had identical partial 28S sequences. All specimens from Cantal vieux from a store in the temporary market in France had an identical sequence with Acarus siro and Acarus immobilis in the determined region of the 28S sequences. Mite individuals from Salers from a store in the temporary markets in France shared the same haplotype as Acotyledon paradoxa. For the T. casei individuals from five different localities (19 individuals in total), the nuclear loci were obtained using MIG-seq. More than several thousand genomic regions are amplified simultaneously by multiplex PCR, and targeting regions surrounded by inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs) in the genome were sequenced using the MiSeq system (Illumina). SNPs extracted from this genome-wide analysis showed that no genetic structure existed in the populations from any region. Among the five samples from the three regions, which were more than 500 km apart and from completely different environments, the mites had no geographic bias, but all mite individuals were genetically nearly identical. Thus, we found no evidence to support the existence of 'cheese factory-specific' T. casei mites, at least in terms of genetic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In France, dairy products contribute to dietary saturated fat intake, of which reduced consumption is often recommended for CVD prevention. Epidemiological evidence on the association between dairy consumption and CVD risk remains unclear, suggesting either null or inverse associations. This study aimed to investigate the associations between dairy consumption (overall and specific foods) and CVD risk in a large cohort of French adults. This prospective analysis included participants aged ≥18 years from the NutriNet-Santé cohort (2009–2019). Daily dietary intakes were collected using 24-h dietary records. Total dairy, milk, cheese, yogurts, fermented and reduced-fat dairy intakes were investigated. CVD cases (n 1952) included cerebrovascular disease (n 878 cases) and CHD (n 1219 cases). Multivariable Cox models were performed to investigate associations. This analysis included 104 805 French adults (mean age at baseline 42·8 (sd 14·6) years, mean follow-up 5·5 (sd 3·0) years, i.e. 579 155 person-years). There were no significant associations between dairy intakes and total CVD or CHD risks. However, the consumption of at least 160 g/d of fermented dairy (e.g. cheese and yogurts) was associated with a reduced risk of cerebrovascular diseases compared with intakes below 57 g/d (hazard ratio = 0·81 (95 % CI 0·66, 0·98), Ptrend = 0·01). Despite being a major dietary source of saturated fats, dairy consumption was not associated with CVD or CHD risks in this study. However, fermented dairy was associated with a lower cerebrovascular disease risk. Robust randomised controlled trials are needed to further assess the impact of consuming different dairy foods on CVD risk and potential underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface of smear-ripened cheeses constitutes a dynamic microbial ecosystem resulting from the successive development of different microbial groups such as lactic acid bacteria, fungi, and ripening bacteria. Recent studies indicate that a viral community, mainly composed of bacteriophages, also represents a common and substantial part of the cheese microbiome. However, the composition of this community, its temporal variations, and associations between bacteriophages and their hosts remain poorly characterized. Here, we studied a French smear-ripened cheese by both viral metagenomics and 16S metabarcoding approaches to assess both the succession of phages and bacterial communities on the cheese surface during cheese ripening and their temporal variations in ready-to-eat cheeses over the years of production. We observed a clear transition of the phage community structure during ripening with a decreased relative abundance of viral species (vOTUs) associated with Lactococcus phages, which were replaced by vOTUs associated with phages infecting ripening bacteria such as Brevibacterium, Glutamicibacter, Pseudoalteromonas, and Vibrio . The dynamics of the phage community was strongly associated with bacterial successions observed on the cheese surface. Finally, while some variations in the distribution of phages were observed in ready-to-eat cheeses produced at different dates spanning more than 4 years of production, the most abundant phages were detected throughout. This result revealed the long-term persistence of the dominant phages in the cheese production environment. Together, these findings offer novel perspectives on the ecology of bacteriophages in smear-ripened cheese and emphasize the significance of incorporating bacteriophages in the microbial ecology studies of fermented foods.IMPORTANCEThe succession of diverse microbial populations is critical for ensuring the production of high-quality cheese. We observed a temporal succession of phages on the surface of a smear-ripened cheese, with new phage communities showing up when ripening bacteria start covering this surface. Interestingly, the final phage community of this cheese is also consistent over large periods of time, as the same bacteriophages were found in cheese products from the same manufacturer made over 4 years. This research highlights the importance of considering these bacteriophages when studying the microbial life of fermented foods like cheese., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Although composing two words into a complex representation (e.g., “coffee cake”) is conceptually different from forming associations between a pair of words (e.g., “coffee, cake”), the brain regions supporting semantic composition have also been implicated for associative encoding. Here, we adopted a two-word magnetoencephalography (MEG) paradigm which varies compositionality (“French/Korean cheese” vs “France/Korea cheese”) and strength of association (“France/French cheese” vs “Korea/Korean cheese”) between the two words. We collected MEG data while 42 English speakers (24 females) viewed the two words successively in the scanner, and we applied both univariate regression analyses and multivariate pattern classification to the source estimates of the two words. We show that the left anterior temporal lobe (LATL) and left middle temporal lobe (LMTL) are distinctively modulated by semantic composition and semantic association. Specifically, the LATL is mostly sensitive to high-association compositional phrases, while the LMTL responds more to low-association compositional phrases. Pattern-based directed connectivity analyses further revealed a continuous information flow from the anterior to the middle temporal region, suggesting that the integration of adjective and noun properties originated earlier in the LATL is consistently delivered to the LMTL when the complex meaning is newly encountered. Taken together, our findings shed light into a functional dissociation within the left temporal lobe for compositional and distributional semantic processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Époisses is a protected designation of origin smear-ripened cheese from the Burgundy region in France. It has an orange color and a strong flavor, both of which are generated by surface microorganisms. The objective of the present study was to investigate the microbial dynamics at the surface of Époisses cheese during ripening and postmanufacturing storage at low temperatures. Rind samples were analyzed by enumeration on agar plates and by 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer amplicon sequencing. During most of the ripening process, the counts of yeasts, which corresponded to the species Debaryomyces hansenii and Geotrichum candidum , were higher than those of the aerobic acid-sensitive bacteria. Debaryomyces hansenii reached a level of about 3 × 108 cfu/cm2, and its viability strongly decreased in the late stage of ripening and during storage at 4°C. Two of the inoculated bacterial species, Brevibacterium aurantiacum and Staphylococcus xylosus , did not establish themselves at the cheese surface. At the end of ripening, among the 18 most abundant bacterial species detected by amplicon sequencing, 14 were gram-negative, mainly from genera Psychrobacter , Vibrio , Halomonas , and Mesonia. It was hypothesized that the high moisture level of the Époisses rinds, due the humid atmosphere of the ripening rooms and to the frequent washings of the curds, favored growth of these gram-negative species. These species may be of interest for the development of efficient ripening cultures. In addition, because the orange color of Époisses cheeses could not be attributed to the growth of Brevibacterium , it would be interesting to investigate the type and origin of the pigments that confer color to this cheese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of mid-infrared spectroscopy (MIR) to predict indicators (1) of diet composition in dairy herds and (2) for the authentication of the cow feeding restrictions included in the specification of 2 Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheeses (Cantal and Laguiole) was tested on 7,607 bulk milk spectra from 1,355 farms located in the Massif Central area of France. For each milk sample, the corresponding cow diet composition data were obtained through on-farm surveys. The cow diet compositions varied largely (i.e., from full grazing for extensive farming systems to corn silage-based diets, which are typical of more intensive farming systems). Partial least square regression and discriminant analysis were used to predict the proportion of different feedstuffs in the cows' diets and to authenticate the cow feeding restrictions for the PDO cheese specifications, respectively. The groups for the discriminant analysis were created by dividing the data set according to the threshold of a specific feedstuff. They were issued based on the specifications of the restriction of the PDO cheese. The pasture proportion in the cows' diets was predicted by MIR with an coefficient of determination in external validation (R2V) = 0.81 and a standard error of prediction of 11.7% dry matter. Pasture + hay, corn silage, conserved herbage, fermented forage, and total herbage proportion in the cows' diets were predicted with a R2V >0.61 and a standard error of prediction <14.8. The discrimination models for pasture presence, pasture ≥50%, and pasture ≥57% in the cows' diets achieved an accuracy and specificity ≥90%. A sensitivity and precision ≥85% were also observed for the pasture proportion discrimination models, but both of these indexes decreased at increasing thresholds from 0 to 50, and 57% pasture in the cows' diets. An accuracy ≥80% was also observed for pasture + hay ≥72%, herbage ≥50%, pasture + hay ≥25%, absence of fermented herbage, absence of corn silage, and corn silage ≤30% in the cows' diets, but for several models, either the sensitivity or precision was lower than the accuracy. Models built on the simultaneous respect of all the criteria of the feeding restrictions of PDO cheese specifications achieved an accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, and precision >90%. Both the regression and discriminant MIR models for bulk milk can provide useful indicators of cow diet composition and PDO cheese specifications to producers and consumers (farmers, dairy plants). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 415 cheese samples produced with raw or cooked milk collected from local markets were analysed for the presence of coagulase-positive staphylococci. In 85 (20.48%) samples the presence of coagulase positive staphylococci was detected. The ELFA technique VIDAS SET2 (BioMerieux, France) was used for testing coagulasepositive staphylococci strains to produce classical enterotoxins (SEA, SEB, SEC, SED, SEE), and to determine the enterotoxins in cheese samples. The number of coagulasepositive staphylococci in cheese samples ranged from 1-5.79 log CFU g-1. Out of 85 coagulase-positive strains 26 (30.59%) produced enterotoxins. The presence of genes for the synthesis of staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) in the obtained extracts of DNA from 26 enterotoxigenic strains was detected by conventional multiplex PCR technique (for genes sea and seb) i.e. the Real-Time PCR technique for genes sec, sed and see. In all 26 strains of coagulase-positive staphylococci (originating from cheeses produced from raw or cooked milk, which were enterotoxin producers) sea was present, and in 24 strains in addition to sea gene, seb was detected. None of the isolates possessed genes for the synthesis of enterotoxin C (SEC), D (SED) and E (SEE). Out of 26 tested cheese samples positive for enterotoxigenic coagulase-positive staphylococci, enterotoxin was detected in 2 (7.69%) samples of sweet-coagulating cheese, in which the number of enterotoxigenic coagulase-positive staphylococci exceeded 5 log CFU g-1. In sweetcoagulating cheeses in which the number of coagulase-positive staphylococci exceeds 5 log CFU g-1 and the pH value was higher than 5.0, enterotoxins may be present in amounts sufficient to cause intoxication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Diet is widely recognized as one of the main modifiable drivers of gut microbiota variability, and its influence on microbiota composition is an active area of investigation. Objective The present work aimed to explore the associations between usual diet and gut microbiota composition in a large sample of healthy French adults. Methods Gut microbiota composition was established through sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene in stool samples from 862 healthy French adults of the Milieu Intérieur study. Usual dietary consumptions were determined through the administration of a food-frequency questionnaire. The associations between dietary variables and α- and β-diversity indexes and relative taxa abundances were tested using Spearman correlations, permutational ANOVAs, and multivariate analyses with linear models, respectively. Results Foods generally considered as healthy (raw fruits, fish) were positively associated with α-diversity, whereas food items for which a limited consumption is generally recommended (fried products, sodas or sugary drinks, fatty sweet products, processed meats, ready-cooked meals, and desserts) were negatively associated with α-diversity. Fruits, fried products, ready-cooked meals, and cheese contributed to shifts within microbiota composition (β-diversity). Our results also highlighted a number of associations between various food group intakes and abundances of specific phyla, genera, and species. For instance, the consumption of cheese was negatively associated with Akkermansia muciniphila abundance. Conclusions This large-scale population-based study supports that the usual consumption of certain food items is associated with several gut microbial features, and extends the mechanistic arguments linking Western diet to an altered microbiota composition. These results provide new insights into the understanding of complex diet–gut microbiota relations, and their implications for host health deserve further investigation because altered microbiota diversity was consistently linked to increased risk of several health outcomes. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01699893. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria present in raw milk can carry acquired or intrinsic antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). However, only a few studies have evaluated raw milk cheese as a potential reservoir of ARGs. This study thus aimed at providing new data regarding resistance markers present in raw milk cheese. Sheep (n = 360) and cow (n = 360) cheese samples produced in France were incubated in buffered peptone water supplemented with acriflavin or novobiocin; as corroborated by 16S metabarcoding, samples were enriched in Gram-negative bacteria since Escherichia coli and Hafnia alvei respectively accounted for 40 % and 20 % of the samples' microbiota. Screening of the samples for the presence of 30 ARGs and 16 MGEs by high throughput qPCR array showed that nine ARGs conferring resistances to 1st-generation beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, trimethoprim/sulfonamides and tetracyclines occurred in >75 % of both sheep and cow samples. This is neither surprising nor alarming since these resistance genes are widely spread across the One Health human, animal and environmental sectors. Conversely, genes conferring resistances to last-generations cephalosporins were rarely identified, while those conferring resistances to carbapenems or amikacin, which are restricted to human use, were never detected. Multiple MGEs were detected, the most frequent ones being IncF plasmids, confirming the potential transmission of ARGs. Our results are in line with the few studies of the resistome of milk or milk cheese showing that genes conferring resistances to 1st-generation beta-lactams, aminoglycosides and tetracyclines families are widespread, while those conferring resistances to critically important antibiotics are rare or absent. • High throughput qPCR was used to study the resistome of raw milk cheese samples enriched in Enterobacterales • ARGs conferring resistance to aminoglycosides were the most frequently detected ARGs in all samples • ARGs conferring resistances to 1st-generation beta-lactams, sulfonamides and tetracyclines were also frequently identified • Genes conferring resistances to last-generations cephalosporins were rarely identified • Genes conferring resistances to carbapenems or amikacin, which are restricted to human use, were never detected [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although soft lactic goat cheeses are widely produced in France, there is little information available in the literature about them and no miniature model for this kind of cheese has yet been proposed. In this study, a miniature soft lactic goat cheese model was compared with equivalent factory cheese to use it as a reliable model for this cheese family. The composition of the cheeses was compared at four key stages of the production process using microbiological, physicochemical and Sift-MS volatilome analysis. The compositions of the model and factory cheeses were found to be similar until the ripening step, but some differences were observed on ripened cheeses. Moreover, under carefully monitored laboratory conditions, the variability across batches of the model cheese was reduced. This miniature soft lactic goat cheese could therefore be used as a reliable model to study the aspects of the same cheese type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their composition, cheeses are suspected to induce an acid load to the body. To better understand this nutritional feature, the acid-forming potential of five cheeses from different cheese-making technologies and two milk was evaluated on the basis of their potential renal acid load (PRAL) index (considering protein, P, Cl, Na, K, Mg and Ca contents) and organic anions contents. PRAL index ranged from −0.8 mEq/100 g edible portion for fresh cheese to 25.3 mEq/100 g for hard cheese Cantal and 28 mEq/100 g for blue-veined cheese Fourme d’Ambert. PRAL values were greatly subjected to interbatch fluctuations. This work emphasized a great imbalance between acidifying elements of PRAL calculation (Cl, P and proteins elements) and alkalinizing ones (Na and Ca). Particularly, Cl followed by P elements had a strong impact on the PRAL value. Hard cheeses were rich in lactate, thus, might be less acidifying than suspected by their PRAL values only. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background/objectives: Long-term observational cohorts provide the opportunity to investigate the potential impact of dietary patterns on death. We aimed to investigate all-cause death according to the consumption of selected food groups, and then to identify those independently associated with reduced mortality.Subjects/methods: Population survey of middle-aged men randomly selected in the period 1995-1997 from the general population of three French areas and followed over a median of 14.8 years. Dietary data were collected through a 3-day food record. Cox modeling was used to assess the risk of death according to selected foods groups after extensive adjustment for confounders, including a diet quality index.Results: The study population comprised 960 men (mean age 55.5 ±6.2 years). After a median follow-up of 14.8 (interquartile range 14.3-15.2) years, 150 (15.6%) subjects had died. Food groups that remained independently predictive of a lower risk of death after extensive adjustment were an above-median consumption of milk (adjusted relative risk: 0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.43-0.86, P-value=0.005), fruits and vegetables (0.68, 0.46-0.98, P-value=0.041) and a moderate consumption of yogurts and cottage cheese (0.50, 95% CI: 0.31-0.81, P-value=0.005), other cheeses (0.62, 0.39-0.97, P-value=0.036) and bread (0.57, 0.37-0.89, P-value=0.014). Besides, there was a nonsignificant trend for a higher risk of death associated with highest sodium intakes.Conclusions: Consumption of food groups that largely match recommendations is associated with a reduced risk of all-cause death in men. A diet providing moderate amounts of diverse food groups appears associated with the highest life expectancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public-health community views mandatory Front-of-Pack (FOP) nutrition labels and nutritional taxes as promising tools to control the growth of food-related chronic diseases. This paper uses household scanner data to propose an ex-ante evaluation and comparison of these two policy options for the fromage blanc and dessert yogurt market. In most markets, labelling is voluntary and firms display fat labels only on the FOP of low-fat products to target consumers who do not want to eat fat. We here separately identify consumer preferences for fat and for FOP fat labels by exploiting an exogenous difference in legal labelling requirements between these two product categories. Estimates of demand curves are combined with a supply model of oligopolistic price competition to simulate policies. We find that a feasible ad valorem fat tax dominates a mandatory FOP-label policy from an economic perspective, but both are equally effective in reducing average fat purchases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks at the importance of Camembert cheese to French soldiers in World War I as a symbol of national identity and a reminder of what was familiar from their native culture. It discusses how cuisine and gastronomy have become part of France's collective cultural memory, reinforced by the connections between taste and memory for soldiers. The author goes on to explain how Camembert became a bridge between tradition and modernity, rural and urban France, and its past and present.

Abstract: The low rates of cardiovascular mortality which have existed in France for decades despite high saturated fat consumption constitute an epidemiological phenomenon called the “French paradox”. This phenomenon was originally attributed to consumption of red wine and its major constituent resveratrol. However, recent studies have revealed the limitations of this link outside France. These observations indicate that consumption of red wine alone cannot explain the paradox and perhaps some other constituents of the typical French diet could be responsible for reduced cardiovascular mortality. We hypothesize that cheese consumption, especially of molded varieties, may contribute to the occurrence of the “French paradox”. This assumption is well supported by newly discovered facts revealing the positive effect of cheese ingestion on lipoprotein turnover and plasma lipid profile, haemorheological parameters and inflammatory status. Recent advances in cheese proteomics have allowed the identification and isolation of novel peptides capable of inhibiting the angiotensin-converting enzyme which controls systemic blood pressure. A complex time-dependent enzymatic transformation of the cheese core controlled by probiota, temperature and humidity during the ripening process has been shown to result in the formation of substances reducing major pro-inflammatory markers and cytokines (C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor alpha). Molded cheeses, including Roquefort, may be even more favorable to cardiovascular health due to the presence of secondary metabolites produced by Penicillium roqueforti and other fungi. Among them are andrastins A–D and roquefortine, whose ability to inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis and bacterial growth may be a key mechanism in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper provides an overview of the current French market for goat milk cheeses as well as recent data concerning the perception of these products by consumers, whose consumption patterns have changed considerably over the past two decades. It also incorporates the key studies and the recent works in the field of nutritional and sensory quality of French cheeses made from goat milk. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sociologists have used the concept of embeddedness to examine the relationships between social networks, social capital, cultural and cognitive elements and the construction of markets. Yet important questions remain regarding how local and extra-local actors actively construct embedded markets and how networks exhibit both embedding and disembedding tendencies. I use qualitative data on a case study of Comté cheese, an origin-labelled cheese produced in eastern France, to develop a more critical and precise analysis of what embeddedness means in the context of (localised) food systems. I demonstrate the importance of horizontal and vertical forms of embeddedness. The expansion of the market and the entry of extra-local actors into the chain put a strain on the proximity and close ties that have historically constituted the basis of the social embeddedness of the Comté supply chain. The institutions that the Inter-professional Committee for Gruyère from Comté has developed, the support offered by the French state and the actors' shared belief in terroir are forms of vertical embeddedness that all act to re-embed the Comté supply chain in its particular territory, even in the context of these destabilising forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study explores consumers’ acceptance of innovations in traditional cheese in France (n =120) and Norway (n =119). The respondents were presented with 16 photographs of a traditional cheese from their respective countries, varying according to six factors: pasteurisation, organic production, omega-3, packaging, price and appropriateness. For each of the scenarios the consumers indicated their willingness to buy the cheese on a nine-point scale. Results show that consumers’ willingness to buy traditional cheese is highly driven by price, appropriateness and pasteurisation in both countries. However, on average consumers in the French sample prefer buying raw milk cheese, while consumers in the Norwegian sample prefer buying pasteurised cheese. These general trends are led by a pro-raw milk segment in France and a pro-pasteurised milk segment in Norway. Several interaction effects involving appropriateness are detected, indicating the importance of the consumption context on the acceptance of innovations in traditional cheese. On a general level, the results indicate that well-accepted innovations in traditional cheese are those that reinforce the traditional and authentic character of the product. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Nutritional approach to the deterioration of bone integrity and increased fracture risk appears to be particularly appropriate in elderly women living in nursing homes. Objective: To investigate the beneficial effect of the consumption of soft plain cheese on bone resorption markers in institutionalized elderly women. Design: Prospective, randomized crossover controlled study. Setting: Six French nursing homes or other institutions for elderly. Participants: Institutionalized women ≥ 65 years old with low vitamin D status and calcium intake below 700 mg/day. Intervention: Consumption of soft plain cheese made of semi-skimmed milk which was fortified by both vitamin D3 (+ 1.25µg/100g) and milk extracted Ca, thus achieving a total Ca content of 151 mg/100g as compared to about 118 mg/100g for standard fresh cheese. Two servings were taken every day during the 6 weeks that preceded or followed a period of 6 weeks without soft plain cheese consumption. Measurements: The primary end point was the change in serum carboxy terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) selected as a marker of bone resorption. Results: 29 women aged 73-94 yr were selected, 21 of them with mean age 87.2±6.1 years remained compliant The intervention increased calcium and protein intakes by 51% (904±228 vs. 599±122 mg/d) and 33 % (74.2±17.1 vs. 55.6±12.7 g/d, mean±SD), respectively. The dietary intervention was associated with a statistically significant increase in serum levels of both 25OHD and IGF-I, while those of PTH, CTX and TRAP5b were significantly reduced. Compliance was 93,4 %. The daily consumption of two servings of soft plain cheese was well accepted in terms of tastiness and appetite suited portion size. Conclusion: This randomized crossover controlled trial demonstrates that in elderly women living in nursing homes, the consumption of soft plain cheese increasing the supply of vitamin D, calcium and proteins, could reduce bone resorption and thereby reduce the risk of incidental fragility fractures in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, the biodiversity of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci (CNS) strains isolated in France from cheese related samples (227 isolates) and dry sausage related samples (204 isolates) was compared to the biodiversity of 297 clinical isolates. Species identification was performed using different molecular methods (specific PCR, “Staph array” hybridization and sodA gene sequencing). Infraspecific biodiversity of strains belonging to the main CNS species found in both food and clinical samples was then assessed by pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). For food-related samples, the main species encountered corresponded to Staphylococcus equorum (28.5%), S. xylosus (28.3%), S. saprophyticus (12.5%) and S. succinus (7.7%); while, for clinical isolates, the main species encountered corresponded to S. epidermidis (69.4%), S. capitis (9.8%), S. hominis (4.5%), S. warneri (4.5%) and S. haemolyticus (3.8%). The two main species common to both food and clinical samples corresponded to S. epidermidis and S. saprophyticus. Concerning infraspecific biodiversity, PFGE profiles of S. equorum, S. saprophyticus and S. epidermidis showed a large genomic biodiversity. Comparatively, S. xylosus exhibited a lower biodiversity. No correlation could be observed between PFGE patterns and either the geographical origin or the sample type. This study highlighted that no food strains had similar PFGE profiles to clinical ones and that the two main food-related species, S. equorum and S. xylosus, were not found in clinical samples. The identification of CNS species and the characterisation of the genetic diversity of the strains constitute a first step towards CNS safety assessment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The genetic diversity of two major yeast species found in cheese, Debaryomyces hansenii and Kluyveromyces marxianus, was analyzed within the yeast flora in French traditional cheesemaking. Based on the amplification of sequences separating long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposon sequences, a molecular typing method was developed for D. hansenii and K. marxianus. This method was applied to a total of 56 D. hansenii strains and 61 K. marxianus strains, mostly isolated during fermentation and ripening of traditional cheese from Normandy and Haute-Savoie (French Alps) regions. A total of 32 and 43 robust profiles were obtained for D. hansenii and K. marxianus, respectively. Cluster analysis confirmed the large genetic diversity already shown for D. hansenii and revealed an even larger diversity for K. marxianus. After its use with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the inter-LTR PCR proved to be efficient to discriminate between strains of the two species, D. hansenii and K. marxianus, isolated from the same ecological niches, confirming the high intra-specific variability of species found in cheese. This strain typing could not correlate the analyzed strains with their origin, would it be the cheese type, the cheese-making facility or the cheese batch, showing a high discrimination power. The method described here will provide a fast and reliable tool for the biodiversity study of these two major cheese yeasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States, there is a growing awareness of the implications of our globalized food system, a system that incorporates all manner of agriculture, food distribution, food processing and transformation, and consumption. The ever increasing distance between where our food is produced and where it is consumed has helped spur a movement to develop a system of place based foods. Right now multiple models are in play, including farmers markets, community supported agriculture, and the localvore movement. This article will do a close examination of another model from France, the French system of appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC); nationally regulated by the French Ministry of Agriculture it supports and protects foods and drinks with unique links to particular territories. The AOC system is based on geographically distinct and historically specific food and drink found throughout France. By closely examining one AOC product—Comté cheese produced in the rural agricultural region in Jura—the authors consider the possibilities for an AOC-style system in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information about cheese. The French organization, Centre Interprofessionnel de Documentation et d' Information Laitières states that over 1,000 types of cheese is produced in France alone. The process of cheesemaking involves coagulating milk to produce curds and whey, wherein curd involves further treatment to produce cheese, while the whey is removed. Greeks are considered to be the top cheese consumers. France has made a designation for their cheeses under their Appellation d' Origine Controlle. Moreover, Greece has likewise attempted to control the use of feta cheese, while the Quality Cheese Act has been introduced in the U.S. Information about the American cheese, as well as the cheese-related organizations and information resources are provided.

Abstract: General lexicons have been developed to describe the flavor of cheese; however, no terminology was found that describes specifically the flavor of French cheese. The objective of this study was to determine a general lexicon for French cheese. Five highly trained descriptive sensory panelists characterized the flavors of a wide variety (n =43) of natural French cheeses. Cheeses selected for testing varied in milk source, regional origin, processing method, and maturation time. After reviewing previously published terminology for cheese, the panelists established terminology for aroma and flavor attributes. The 31 attributes that were needed to completely describe the 43 cheeses can be classified into seven categories: fundamental tastes, dairy aromatics, fatty acid/animal, musty/fungal, aged/fermented, mouthfeelings, and other aromatics. Many of these terms were found in published general cheese lexicons, but some are new attributes specific to French cheese. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Water sorption isotherms of French Emmental cheese have been determined at various temperatures (between 4 and 28 °C) for core or rind samples taken at various ripening stages during a standard 74 days ripening period. The differences observed between all the experimental isotherms are probably due to the evolution of product composition during the cheese ripening.Experimental data concerning the water activity profiles for industrially processed Emmental cheese have been collected after different brining experiments carried out at usual temperature conditions (4–18 °C) and all along the ripening cycle.The local water activity profiles during the Emmental brining and ripening periods are strongly dependent on the local NaCl concentration distribution. All these profiles vary in relation to the process step and of the process time. For the brining step, a precise correlation was proposed to express the influence of the water content and of the NaCl concentration. For the ripening period, a more general correlation expressing the water activity as a function of the water, NaCl and free NH2 group concentrations was fitted to our experimental data. This last correlation was able to interpret the activity profiles more precisely during an Emmental ripening cycle in industrial conditions than the physical models of sorption fitted to the water sorption curves. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Focuses on the manufacturing and industrialization of the production of pottery and cheese in France. Types of manufacturing activities in the countryside economy based on domestic production; Continuity in craft production and rapid industrialization; Exportation of the products in different places.

This study aims at examining the consumers' preferences and drivers affecting the choice of quality-labelled food products, i.e., protected designation of origin (PDO) labelled cheese. We applied the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to analyse the purchase of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO and Comté PDO hard cheeses in Italy and France, respectively. A cross-sectional sample of 808 consumers (400 French and 408 Italian) completed a questionnaire. Structural equation modelling (SEM) indicated perceived behavioural control (PBC) and attitude to be significant predictors of intention to purchase PDO-labelled cheese in France and Italy. Subjective and moral norms affected intention in France. Intention significantly influenced the hard cheese purchase behaviour. The results confirm that the TPB model predicted the self-reported measure of behaviour more than the observed one, measured with a discrete choice experiment, in both countries. The TPB interrelationships varied between countries, suggesting that food systems operators and public authorities should carefully target their intervention to stimulate the demand of PDO-labelled products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the characterization of lactococci isolated from milk produced in the Camembert region of Normandy. Fermentation of lactose; Determination of plasmid profiles; Region of manufacture influencing the organoleptic properties of cheese.

High and low serf-monitors tasted and evaluated a sample of cheese. Some participants were led to believe that the cheese was made in France, whereas others were led to believe that it was made in Kansas. In addition, the taste of the cheese was varied. For some, the cheese was relatively pleasant tasting; for others, it was less so. High self-monitors' evaluations were a function of country of origin. Regardless of its actual taste, high self-monitors evaluated the cheese more favorably when they believed it came from France than when they believed it was made in Kansas. In contrast, the evaluations of low self-monitors were a function of the cheese's actual taste. They evaluated the pleasant-tasting cheese more favorably than the less pleasant-tasting cheese regardless of its purported country of origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study for evaluating musculoskeletal disorders among fromagers and their risk factors. Topics include musculoskeletal pain in hands of workers involved in cheese making; workers working in cheese industry suffered from lungs and cutaneous disorders; and collecting data for survey for examining musculoskeletal disorders in various food retailers.