Question

Penicillium roqueforti and P.camemberti are used in the preparation of cheese. Which class do these fungi belong to?
(a)Zygomycetes
(b)Oomycetes
(c)Deuteromycetes
(d)Ascomycetes

Answer 1

Some fungi from the genus Penicillium such as P.roqueforti and P.camemberti are used to produce various blue cheeses and are responsible for its distinctive tastes. Therefore, these fungi hold great economical importance in the cheese production industry.

Complete answer:
Penicillium roqueforti and P.camemberti are fungi from the class Ascomycetes and are used in the production of cheese. Penicillium roqueforti is used to make Roquefort, stilton, Danish blue, cabrales, gorgonzola, and other blue cheeses whereas Penicillium Camemberti is involved in making brie, Langres, coulommiers, and cambozola cheeses.

Additional Information: Let us know more about these two fungi:
Penicillium roqueforti - This is a saprophytic fungus that can be isolated from soil, plants, and decaying organic matter. It belongs to the genus Penicillium of class Ascomycetes. Structurally they do not form visible fruiting bodies and can be olive-brown or dull green in color depending on the growth medium. They produce asexual spores in phialides with a distinct brush shaped configuration which is a characteristic feature of these fungi.
Penicillium camemberti - These are fungus of the genus Penicillium in the class Ascomycetes. These are the reasons for the distinctive flavors in blue cheeses like Camembert, Brie, Langres, etc. In case of production if these cheese the molds are mixed into the ingredients before placing them in the molds or are added to the outside of the cheese after removal from the cheese molds. These fungi give the brie and Camembert cheese its soft, buttery texture but the excessive concentration of which can lead to a bitter taste of the cheese. Therefore, the PCR technique is used to control cheesemaking by monitoring the growth of micelles of P.camembert.
Therefore, the correct answer is "Ascomycetes".

Note: Along with Penicillium roqueforti and P.camembert, another fungus from the genus Penicillium named Penicillium glaucum is also used in making blue cheeses like Bleu de Gex, Rochebaron, and some varieties of Bleu d'Auvergne and Gorgonzola. An interesting point is that the people who have an allergy to the antibiotic Penicillin don’t get an allergy to the cheese made using P.camembert.