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Researchers find 3,000-year-old cheese

The discovery is one of the oldest samples of cheese ever found

Researchers find 3,000-year-old cheese

The discovery is one of the oldest samples of cheese ever found

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Researchers find 3,000-year-old cheese

The discovery is one of the oldest samples of cheese ever found

Archeologists exploring an ancient Egyptian tomb have made an incredible discovery: They’ve unearthed what appears to be one of the world’s oldest pieces of cheese, dating to more than 3,000 years ago.Researchers first recovered the cheese sample during an expedition in 2010, although they didn’t know what it was at first. A group of archaeologists recently rediscovered the tomb of Ptahmes, an ancient mayor of Memphis, which had long been thought lost. During the excavation those researchers discovered a collection of jars, one of which contained a strange white substance.That substance remained mysterious for several years, until a new analysis by researchers at the University of Catania and Cairo University revealed its true nature: cheese. Specifically, some kind of chevre-like cheese with a much more sour taste. While the cheese started out life as a very soft substance, the millenia have hardened it into something completely solid.It’s also somewhat deadly to consume, thanks to a colony of bacteria that have grown on the surface. The researchers found samples of Brucella melitensis, a harmful bacteria that causes the disease brucellosis. If you were thinking about wanting to try this ancient cheese, you should know that symptoms of brucellosis include fever, headaches, stomach pain and all the symptoms of food poisoning. Not to mention that the disease can last for weeks, months or even years.Source: The New York Times

Archeologists exploring an ancient Egyptian tomb have made an incredible discovery: They’ve , dating to more than 3,000 years ago.

Researchers first recovered the cheese sample during an expedition in 2010, although they didn’t know what it was at first. A group of archaeologists recently rediscovered the tomb of Ptahmes, an ancient mayor of Memphis, which had long been thought lost. During the excavation those researchers discovered a collection of jars, one of which contained a strange white substance.

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That substance remained mysterious for several years, until a new analysis by researchers at the University of Catania and Cairo University revealed its true nature: cheese. Specifically, some kind of chevre-like cheese with a much more sour taste. While the cheese started out life as a very soft substance, the millenia have hardened it into something completely solid.

It’s also somewhat deadly to consume, thanks to a colony of bacteria that have grown on the surface. The researchers found samples of Brucella melitensis, a harmful bacteria that causes the disease brucellosis. If you were thinking about wanting to try this ancient cheese, you should know that symptoms of brucellosis include fever, headaches, stomach pain and all the symptoms of food poisoning. Not to mention that the disease can last for weeks, months or even years.

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