It is actually caused by the molds (fungi) that give blue cheese its taste and color.
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blue mold
mix rainbow cheese with cream cheese and food coloring
Blue cheese (or bleu cheese) is a cheese that has had Penicillium cultures added so that the final product is spotted or veined with blue-gray or blue-green mold.
A variety of Derby cheese that is called Sage Derby is mild, mottled green, and semi-hard. It contains sage, which gives it the green coloring and sage flavor.
The orange color of some cheese comes from compounds such as beta carotene (yellow) or spices such as annatto (orange). Most processed cheeses just add coloring.
Blue cheese gets the name from the veins of blue colored mold that go through it. It is intentional, as it is a cheese curd infected with penecillium to have that result, which also gives it the pungent flavor.
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The white coating on brie is formed by the growth of specific molds, primarily Penicillium candidum, during the cheese-aging process. This mold creates a soft, edible rind that contributes to the cheese's creamy texture and flavor. In contrast, the blue coloring found in blue cheese is due to the introduction of Penicillium roqueforti, which creates blue-green veins throughout the cheese, imparting a distinctive taste and aroma. Both types of cheese rely on these molds for their unique characteristics.
Stilton comes in two forms1) White Stilton2) Blue StiltonBlue Stilton is made the same way as White Stilton but the cheese curds have a mould (Penicillium roquefortii) added to them during manufacture and the cheese is kept for the mould to grow in the cheese. This gives Blue Stilton a marbling of blue veins running through it and a lovely creamy taste. The blue veining gives Blue Stilton its name. Only seven dairies, using the original centuries-old recipe, are licensed to produce the creamy ivory-hued king of cheeses. So esteemed is Stilton's unique flavour and texture, it is the only British cheese graced with its own certification trademark.
Cheese is molded on purpose. The blue in cheese is the color of mold.
Food coloring is flavorless; however, blue food coloring is often used to color raspberry flavored foods.
Blue cheese is a catch-all term for cheeses that have blue coloration or veins due to the particular fungus used in its production. While Roquefort is a blue cheese, not all blue cheeses are Roquefort.