The Gouda Old Days
Even die-hard fans of a ripe Stilton may find this a bit hard to swallow – the oldest piece of cheese ever discovered has been found in the tomb of Ptahmes (the Nineteenth Dynasty). The (very) mature cheese residue, a combination of goat/sheep and cow milk, was analyzed using UHPLC/high-resolution nano ESI-MS/MS and radiocarbon dating, and estimated to date from 3200 BP.
Reference:
- E Greco et al., “Proteomic analyses on an ancient Egyptian cheese and biomolecular evidence of brucellosis”, Anal Chem, 90, 9673–9676 (2018).
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A former library manager and storyteller, I have wanted to write for magazines since I was six years old, when I used to make my own out of foolscap paper and sellotape and distribute them to my family. Since getting my MSc in Publishing, I’ve worked as a freelance writer and content creator for both digital and print, writing on subjects such as fashion, food, tourism, photography – and the history of Roman toilets. Now I can be found working on The Analytical Scientist, finding the ‘human angle’ to cutting-edge science stories.
