The discovery of the oldest known cheese sample, from 3,600-year-old mummies, provides invaluable insight into ancient dietary practices and highlights the cultural significance of fermented foods.
"Food items like cheese are extremely difficult to preserve over thousands of years, making this a rare and valuable opportunity. Studying the ancient cheese in great detail can help us better understand our ancestors' diet and culture," said Qiaomei Fu.
The samples, associated with the Bronze Age mummies from the Tarim Basin, contained species commonly found in present-day kefir grains, emphasizing the longstanding tradition of fermentation.
Innovations in DNA sequencing have allowed the researchers to reconstruct the genome of Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens, shedding light on its historical relationship with modern fermentation processes.
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