Cheese mite
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 Cheese Mite Monument in Würchwitz, where Milbenkäse is from.
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Cheese mites can be any of several different species including Tyroglyphus casei Linnaeus, Tyrolichus casei Oudemans and Tyrophagus casei Oudemans. They gain their name from the fact that in addition to grains, flour, cured meats and insect detritus, they are also known to favor cheese. The mites burrow tiny holes in the surface of the cheese and are sometimes intentionally introduced to flavor cheeses like Milbenkäse and aged Mimolette. Cheese that is infested with the mites can have a sweet, minty odor and will appear to be covered in a fine gray dust of the mites, their dander and excrement.
They are 0.39 - 0.7 mm in length, with females larger than males, and appear pearly-white in color. Their legs and mandibles are reddish-brown. Cheese mites live between 15 and 18 days under an ideal environment of 23°C and 87% humidity.
Cheese mites are considered vermin in the food service industry. They are known to cause a mild form of dermatitis called baker's or grocer's itch and can inflame asthma and dust allergies. Control of the mite can be as simple as adjusting environmental conditions and taking sanitary steps such as regularly cleaning surfaces and emptying bulk containers completely before refilling them.
[edit] References in Literature
- A Parable - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- The Dying Whip - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- From a College Window by Arthur Christopher Benson
[edit] See also
- Cheese fly
- Cheese mites movie, as the first science documentary meant for the public, 1903
