It is not known whether this was an ornament or a snack for the afterlife. But she nonetheless stresses that 3,600 years ago, in this northwestern Chinese province, cheese was already in the spotlight enough that it was important that at least three of these people accompany it in their coffin.
The dry conditions of this semi-desert region contributed to the state of preservation of the bodies in question, which still retained some of their clothing, including a hat and coat. These are the same conditions that allowed the cheese to be identified, as the remains still contain enough Genomic sequencing for analysis Both the origin of the dairy product and some of the microbes present.
Subscribe to our newsletter!
So you don't miss any scientific news and know all about our efforts to fight fake news and misinformation!
This is how cow and goat genes were found, indicating that the cheese was made from the milk of both animals. As for the types of bacteria and yeast, they are the ones that, by coagulating milk in the form of so-called kefir grains, These parts probably made kefir the big brother of today's cheese.
No one seems inclined to taste this cheese. but In an interview with New York TimesLead researcher, paleontologist Xiaomei Fu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, says she is confident that with the information available, it will be possible to recreate it.
Previous results have identified ancient fat residues, which were likely cheese (or yoghurt). Especially inside a 7,000-year-old clay container. But this is the first time that we have been able to identify such an ancient piece beyond a reasonable doubt. the study It was published on September 25 in the magazine cell.
