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Glam Journal

How does blue cheese get its color?

Author

Emily Wilson

Updated on April 03, 2026

How does blue cheese get its color?

Blue cheese or bleu cheese is cheese made with cultures of the mold Penicillium, giving it spots or veins of the mold throughout the cheese, which can vary in color through various shades of blue and green. This carries a distinct smell, either from that or various specially cultivated bacteria.

Why is blue cheese so creamy?

During the aging process, Gorgonzolas are pierced through the rind with long metal pokers in order to allow in oxygen, which activates the blue mold growth. Because the paste of this goo-bomb is so thick and creamy, when it’s pierced, it caves right back in, which stifles the oxygen and thus the mold.

Is it OK to eat moldy blue cheese?

Blue cheese is made using Penicillium, a type of mold that’s responsible for its unique taste, smell, and appearance. Unlike other types of mold, Penicillium does not produce toxins and is safe to consume.

Why are the veins of blue cheese blue?

What Is Blue Cheese. As the name suggests, blue cheese is a blue-green colored mold cheese. The blue molds present in the veins of cheese are because of the presence of bacteria that start aging, thereby imparting the cheese its characteristic blue shade.

What kind of cheese is blue in color?

Do read! As the name suggests, blue cheese is a blue-green colored mold cheese. The blue molds present in the veins of cheese are because of the presence of bacteria that start aging, thereby imparting the cheese its characteristic blue shade. There are various types of blue cheese, like Roquefort, Danablu, Gorgonzola and Blue Stilton.

Why does blue cheese have blue molds in it?

As the name suggests, blue cheese is a blue-green colored mold cheese. The blue molds present in the veins of cheese are because of the presence of bacteria that start aging, thereby imparting the cheese its characteristic blue shade.

What are the signs of Bad Blue cheese?

If you notice any signs of spoilage on your blue cheese, you should discard it immediately. In particular, fuzzy white, green, pink, or grey spots growing on the surface of blue cheese may indicate that it has gone bad.

Why does blue cheese have a white inside?

Blue mold won’t grow just because you add it to milk. When a wheel of blue cheese is formed, it’s actually white in color, inside and out, like the wheels of Bayley Hazen Blue from Jasper Hill Farm, above. It’s only when a cheesemaker pricks those wheels all over with long steel needles that the blue mold will start to proliferate.

What’s the best way to eat blue cheese?

To “blue” it, one would need blue mold (can be purchased or scraped off moldy rye bread or another blue cheese, or simply pulverize a piece of blue cheese in a blender with a little bit of water and a pinch of salt). The procedure would be to sanitize a knitting needle or metal skewer and dip it in the mold to “contaminate” it with blue.

What happens to blue cheese if you freeze it?

You can also freeze blue cheese to help extend its shelf life even further. Although freezing blue cheese may slightly alter its texture and appearance, it remains safe indefinitely when frozen. Blue cheese can go bad if it’s not stored properly. If wrapped and refrigerated, blue cheese can last 3–4 weeks.

Why does Blue Mold grow on cheese wheels?

It’s only when a cheesemaker pricks those wheels all over with long steel needles that the blue mold will start to proliferate. Those needle pricks introduce oxygen to the inside of the wheels. Without the oxygen, blue mold can’t grow. It’s the key to blue mold survival.