Scientists uncover 3,600-year-old cheese on mummified bodies

Moldy cheese in the back of the refrigerator is something almost all have had to deal with, but a new discovery puts a new meaning on old cheese. Scientists have identified nearly 3,600-year-old cheese found on mummified bodies in northwest China.

It's believed to be the oldest cheese ever found. An important question researchers wanted to answer was what did the cheese taste like? They say it was likely sour and sharp, similar to some strong-smelling cheeses we know today.

The mummy remains were uncovered at a cemetery in China's Tarim Basin in the 1990s. What stood out was a white substance spread across the necks of some mummies.

Upon closer inspection and conducting a DNA analysis on the substance, scientists realized the white stuff was indeed an ancient cheese, made from a mix of cow and goat milk, fermented bacteria and yeast. Further tests revealed the presence of a key lactic acid bacteria, and ingredient stilled used today in cheese production in places like Russia and Tibet.

Researchers believe ancient people used these kefir grains to extend the shelf life of cheese and help combat lactose intolerance, which was more common thousands of years ago. Beyond digestion, these ancient bacterium may have helped trigger immune responses in the human gut.

Along with the cheese, the mummified bodies skin, clothing and hair were able to remain intact due to the dry climate of the region. While it' still unclear why the cheese was placed in the graves, researchers speculate it may have been a starter culture to continue cheese production in the afterlife.

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