NEETZoologyMicrobes in Human Welfare
What gives Swiss cheese its characteristic large holes?
Options
- AThe growth of yeast
- BThe production of acid
- CThe production of a large amount of CO₂ by Propionibacterium sharmanii
- DThe growth of fungi
Correct answer
C. The production of a large amount of CO₂ by Propionibacterium sharmanii
Step-by-step solution
Cheese, is one of the oldest food items in which microbes were used. Different varieties of cheese are known by their characteristic texture, flavour and taste, the specificity coming from the microbes used. For example, the large holes in ‘Swiss cheese’ are due to production of a large amount of CO2 by a bacterium named Propionibacterium sharmanii. The ‘Roquefort cheese’ are ripened by growing a specific fungi on them, which gives them a particular flavour.