# Cheese mite

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{{short description|Mite used in cheese production}}
[[File:Cheese mite.jpg|thumb|250px|''[Tyrophagus putrescentiae](/source/Tyrophagus_putrescentiae)'' is one of several mite species referred to as cheese mites (Ref Georgia Fife-Wright study of 2021).  This species is common on plant leaves, stored grain and animal feed.]]
'''Cheese mites''' are [mite](/source/mite)s (for instance ''[Tyrophagus casei](/source/Tyrophagus_casei)'' or other species) that are used to produce such [cheese](/source/cheese)s as ''{{lang|de|[Milbenkäse](/source/Milbenk%C3%A4se)}}'', [Cantal](/source/Cantal_cheese) and [Mimolette](/source/Mimolette). The action of the living mites on the surface of these cheeses contributes to the flavor and gives them a distinctive appearance.<ref name=Mimolette>{{cite web |url = http://www.cheesefacts.org/mimolette_cheese/mimolette_cheese.html |title = Mimolette Cheese |year = 2007 |work = Cheese Facts |accessdate = 7 September 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110906080219/http://www.cheesefacts.org/mimolette_cheese/mimolette_cheese.html |archive-date = 2011-09-06 |url-status = dead }}</ref> A 2010 [scanning electron microscope](/source/scanning_electron_microscope) study found that ''Milbenkäse'' cheese was produced using ''[Tyrophagus casei](/source/Tyrophagus_casei)'' mites, while Mimolette cheese used ''[Acarus siro](/source/Acarus_siro)'' mites (also known as flour mites).<ref name = Species>{{cite journal |first1 = J.P. |last1 = Melnyk |first2 = A. |last2 = Smith |first3 = C. |last3 = Scott-Dupree |first4 = M.F. |last4 = Marcone |first5 = A. |last5 = Hill |date=August 2010 |title = Identification of cheese mite species inoculated on Mimolette and Milbenkase cheese through cryogenic scanning electron microscopy |journal = Journal of Dairy Science |volume = 93 |issue = 8 |pages = 3461–3468 |doi = 10.3168/jds.2009-2937 |pmid = 20655414|doi-access = free |hdl = 10214/2629 |hdl-access = free }}<!--|accessdate = 7 September 2011 --></ref> Mimolette cheese, in particular, has live cheese mites in its rind, which is thought to contribute to the cheese's distinct rind texture.<ref>Barile, D. (2021). Can cheese mites, maggots and molds enhance bioactivity? Peptidomic investigation of functional peptides in four traditional cheeses. ''Food & Function.'', ''12''(2), 633–645. {{doi|10.1039/d0fo02439b}}</ref> 

Some cheese mite species, such as ''Tyrophagus putrescentiae'' and ''Acarus siro,'' are [mycophagous](/source/mycophagous) and the fungus species they digest are determined by the digestive enzymatic properties accordingly of each species.<ref>De Dea Lindner, J. (2018). Stored products mites in cheese ripening: Health aspects, technological and regulatory challenges in Brazil. ''Journal of Stored Products Research.'', ''76'', 116–121. {{doi|10.1016/j.jspr.2018.01.010}}</ref>

==Gallery== 
<gallery>
Acarus siro 1.ogv| A video of cheese mites (''Acarus siro'') forming the rind of a mimolette cheese.
Mimolette1.jpg|Mimolette cheese displaying the textured crust caused by the mites
Milbekéis.jpg|[Milbenkäse](/source/Milbenk%C3%A4se), a German cheese with cheese mites
Casu Marzu cheese.jpg|[Casu martzu](/source/Casu_martzu), a rotten cheese from Sardinia, Italy, is a traditional sheep milk cheese that contains live [maggot](/source/maggot)s as well as cheese mites.
</gallery>

==See also==
* [Cheese fly](/source/Cheese_fly), ''Piophila casei''
*''[The Cheese Mites](/source/The_Cheese_Mites)'', a 1903 documentary film

==References==
{{reflist}}

Category:Microscopic animals
Category:Mites and humans
Category:Mites as food
Category:Cheesemaking
Category:Arthropod common names

{{cheese-stub}}
{{acari-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cheese mite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese_mite) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese_mite?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.