Question

Big holes in Swiss cheese are made by

• A. A machine
• B. A bacterium that produces methane gas
• C. A bacterium producing a large amount of carbon dioxide
• D. A fungus that releases a lot of gases during its metabolic activities

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Ripened cheese is prepared from unripened cheese by first dipping in brine, wiping and then maturation with different strain of bacteria and fungi. It takes 1-16 months for ripening. Large holed Swiss cheese is ripened with the help of $CO_2$ producing (causing holes) bacterium called Propionibacterium sharmanii.