Cheese production is at risk due to the standardization of production processes, with blue cheeses, such as Camembert, facing extinction. However, a little-known cheese called Termignon blue, made in the French Alps, could save the blue cheese industry. Unlike other blue cheeses, Termignon blue naturally develops a blue-green mold thanks to a previously unknown population of Penicillium roqueforti. The rest of the industry has relied on a single strain of P. roqueforti, which has resulted in reduced genetic diversity and weakened strains. Similarly, Camembert is already on the verge of extinction due to the use of a single strain of Penicillium camemberti. To save these cheeses, producers will need to reintroduce genetic diversity through sexual reproduction between individuals with different genomes.
https://news.cnrs.fr/articles/french-cheese-under-threat