Archaeologists uncover world’s oldest cheese

Aug 22, 2018

The item is about 3,200 years old

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

If aged cheese is of interest to you, archaeologists may have uncovered the ticket for you.

Researchers discovered a “solidified white mass” during a dig of the tomb of Pthames, a mayor in the ancient city of Memphis, Egypt during the 13^th century BC. They examined the mass and found it’s actually 3,200-year-old cheese.

Tomb of Pthames

Ancient Egyptians filled tombs with things they felt were necessary in the afterlife – including cheese and other food items.

“The material analyzed is probably the most ancient archaeological solid residue of cheese ever found to date,” Dr. Enrico Greco, a professor from the University of Catania in Italy, said in an article published in the journal Analytical Chemistry.

“We know it was made mostly from sheep’s and goat’s milk, but for me it’s really hard to imagine a specific flavor,” he told BBC News Saturday.

A cheese historian, though, provided some insight into the product’s characteristics.

The ancient cheese could be similar to chevre, but with a “really, really acidy” bite, Paul Kindstedt, a professor at the University of Vermont, told the New York Times Thursday. Kindstedt studies the chemistry and history of cheese.

“It would be high in moisture; it would be spreadable,” he said. “It would not last long; it would spoil very quickly.”

Researchers continue to run tests on the cheese to determine if it also contained an early source of a bacterial illness?

They found traces of bacteria in the cheese that contribute to brucellosis, which comes from consuming unpasteurized dairy products. If those results are accurate, it would be the oldest evidence of brucellosis ever discovered.

Brucellosis can cause fever, sweating and muscle aches.

University of Catania and Cairo University photo

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.