Creepy-crawlie cheese in AOP bid

The microscopic mites give Tomme aux artisous its name as artisous is the local name of the flour mite that grows on the cheese and gives it both flavour and its rustic-looking crust. They grow naturally in warm, damp cellars and the cheese is a traditional speciality of Haute-Loire.

Now local producers have applied to registration body INAO for the AOP label as they say that many other local products have been copied on the wider market and they want to keep the Tomme aux artisous as the department’s own.