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HeadlineCelebrity armpit bacteria cheese on show at London food exhibition

Short HeadlineCelebrity armpit bacteria cheese at London food show

StandfirstFive cheeses have been created from human bacteria and will be displayed in the V&A's FOOD exhibition.

Cheeses are available specially-created ‘caves’ in West London. The display will be in the V&A’s FOOD exhibition.

Made from bacteria taken from celebrities’ ears, toes and armpits, five different types of cheese will be displayed in the V&A’s FOOD exhibition.

A ceramic toilet cooked up from cow manure and edible water bottles were also used to make the cheese.

Five cheeses have been maturing in a specially-created ‘cheese cave’ at Open Cell, a bio-lab in West London.

Bacteria was taken from rapper Professor Green, chef Heston Blumenthal, singer Suggs and musician and cheese maker Alex James.

There are various cheeses on show. The mozzarella, comté , cheddar, Cheshire and stilton cheeses are made from bacteria taken from the celebrities.

Biodesigner Helene Steiner says “there are a lot of similarities between the bacteria underneath our armpits and what actually is in cheese.”

“If you think about handmade cheeses, handmade food, you put your hands in there. Bacteria often actually are co-creators of your food”, says Steiner.

“So I think it’s not actually for the yuck factor, it’s more like looking at the diversity and beauty of food and how bacteria helps us to produce them.”

Composting, farming, trading and eating are among the themes explored in the exhibition.

Other items on show include sausage designs and an urban mushroom farm.