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Europeans were enjoying blue cheese and beer 2,700 years ago, ancient poop shows

bishopp135

bishopp135

Member
Oct 29, 2017
981
edition.cnn.com

Europeans were enjoying blue cheese and beer 2,700 years ago, ancient poop shows | CNN

Austrian miners living 2,700 years ago consumed foods that are still part of our diet today, including blue cheese and beer, new research studying ancient poop has shown.
edition.cnn.com edition.cnn.com


Iron Age Europeans enjoyed foods that are still part of our diet today -- like blue cheese and beer -- new research studying ancient poop has shown.

As a rule, human fecal matter doesn't tend to last for thousands of years, except in a few specific places such as dry caves, desert areas, waterlogged environments, and frozen habitats.

But on studying the ancient poop -- paleofeces -- found in prehistoric salt mines of the Hallstatt-Dachstein UNESCO World Heritage area of western Austria, the team uncovered some "surprising" evidence: the presence of two fungal species used in the production of blue cheese and beer in the historic samples. The high salt concentrations and the constant annual temperature of around 8 degrees Celsius inside the mine preserved the samples well, and researchers say their findings show the first molecular evidence for blue cheese and beer consumption in Iron Age Europe.
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Researchers used in-depth analyses to explore the microbes, DNA, and proteins that were present in those poop samples, and reconstructed the diet of the people who once lived in the area.
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I wonder what other ancient food we still consume today.
 
Dr. Lucien Sanchez

Dr. Lucien Sanchez

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,472
Fermentation as a coevolutionary force throughout our history is genuinely really, really fascinating. Including alcohol, much to the chagrin of many era posters.
 
JonnyDBrit

JonnyDBrit

God and Anime
Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,029
To clarify, this is evidence for beer in Europe specifically. Near-East has muuuuuch older evidence
 
Landy828

Landy828

Member
Oct 26, 2017
13,419
Clemson, SC
I feel like this is more of a "duh" moment, haha.

Eating things that had molded (but safe to eat qualities) and fermenting (beer/alcohol) were more likely as you go further back in time.

Now if you told me they just exclusively drank water/fresh juices and ate fresh meats and cheese 7 days a week, I'd be blown away.
 
BLEEN

BLEEN

Member
Oct 27, 2017
21,892
Well, yeah beer is obvious. People drank beer instead of water for a long, long time. The process of beerifying things killed any deadly...particulates.
 
The Albatross

The Albatross

Member
Oct 25, 2017
39,046
Slightyl off-topic but I've always been into the "Which came first, beer or bread," conversation:

It's probably bread, but I like that it isn't an open and shut case.
 
painey

painey

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,617
if you are ever craving the taste of blue cheese but don't have any at hand, simply lick the carpet of your local DMV.
 
LGHT_TRSN

LGHT_TRSN

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,139
I read the title as 'Europeans were enjoying poop shows' and was like wtf....

I need more caffeine.
 
Paroni

Paroni

Member
Dec 17, 2020
3,421
Blue cheese and salt crackers or hard rye bread are divine combinations, they were already on right track.
 
Uzzy

Uzzy

Gabe’s little helper
Member
Oct 25, 2017
27,232
Hull, UK
Best thing about blue cheese is how everyone else hates it in a cheese platter, leaving it all for me.
 
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