American artisan cheese quality and spoilage: A survey of cheesemakers' concerns and needs

Production of artisan cheeses, including surface-ripened cheeses, has increased in the United States over the past 2 decades. Although many of these cheesemakers report unique quality and spoilage problems during production, a systematic assessment of the quality concerns facing this sector of specialty cheese production has not been conducted. Here we report the effects of microbial spoilage and quality issues on US artisan cheese production. In a survey of 61 cheesemakers, the most common issues reported were undesirable surface molds (71%) and incorrect or unexpected colors or pigments on rinds (54%). When asked, 18% of participants indicated that they were extremely concerned about quality and spoilage problems, and they indicated that their quality standards are frequently not met, either annually (39%) or monthly (33%). Although most of the respondents (62%) said that just 0 to 5% of their cheese was lost or rendered less valuable due to quality issues annually, a small number (7% combined) reported large losses of 20 to 30% or >30% of their product lost or rendered less valuable. Almost all respondents (95%) agreed that improved quality would reduce waste, increase profits, and improve production. The survey respondents indicated in open response questions that they want access to more online resources related to quality issues and digital forums to discuss issues with experts and peers when problems arise. These findings represent the first attempt to document and estimate the effect of quality and spoilage on the American artisan cheese industry. Future work should investigate what technologies, interventions, or information could reduce losses from these problems.