GROWTH OF PENICILLIUM-CAMEMBERTI AND GEOT RICHIUM-CANDIDUM IN PURE AND MIXED CULTURES ON EXPERIMENTAL MOLD RIPENED CHEESE OF CAMEMBERT-TYPE

The growth of Penicillium camemberti (4 strains) and Geotrichum candid um (3 strains) was followed during the ripening on experimental camemb ert cheeses. A method permitting to enumerate both species on a model medium and on camembert cheese was set up. Geotrichum candidum growth is fast for the first ripening week. Then the level of population is m ore stable. For the first week no growth of Penicillium camemberti is observed the population then grew until the 14th day. During the last 2 weeks of ripening the number of living cells is constant. The growth of Geotrichum candidum has no significant effect on the growth of Pen icillium camemberti. On the other hand, an effect of the Penicillium c amemberti strain on Geotrichum candidum strain was observed.