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Traditional cheese making relies on a deceptively simple sequence: milk is warmed, a coagulant is added to separate curds from whey, and the curds are then pressed, salted, and aged. Yet the flavour of the finished cheese depends less on this sequence than on the microorganisms present during ageing. Bacterial cultures introduced before coagulation determine acidity, while moulds and yeasts that colonise the rind during storage break down proteins and fats, producing the distinctive aromas associated with varieties such as brie or gruyère. Because these organisms respond to humidity and temperature, cheesemakers monitor ageing rooms closely; a shift of only a few degrees can favour an unwanted mould over the intended one, altering the cheese's character entirely.