Smelly cheeses

Some microorganisms digest more than proteins, they also digest fat, such as the Penicillium moulds found in blue cheese. The broken-down molecules may have a peppery taste, while others create an off-putting stink.

One of the substances, known as mushroom alcohol, has a mouldy smell, also found in breath and sweat. The really stinky cheeses, such as Munster and Limburger, contain molecules identical to those given off from old socks.