A group of French traditionalists have thanked Britain's Prince Charles for his recent remarks about artisanal cheese.
Prince Charles
The 67-year-old royal recently stated his love for cheeses like Brie de Meaux, traditionally made with unpasteurised milk, which the European Union has banned.
He said: "What will become of the Brie de Meaux, the Crottin de Chavignol or the Bleu d'Auvergne?
"In a microbe-free, progressive and genetically engineered future, what hope is there for the old-fashioned Fourme d'Ambert, the malformed Gruyere de Comte or the odorous Pont L'Eveque?"
Véronique Richez-Lerouge, head of the Association Fromages de Terroirs, which campaigns for the preservation of such cheeses, has thanked the prince for his remarks.
She said: "At least 30 types of French cheese have been lost in the past decade and many more are in danger because only a few small producers are still making them.
"Thanks to the prince for his powerful wake-up call. It is shameful that French leaders do not raise their voices."
She said the prince was correct to criticise the move towards "standardisation and pasteurisation".
She told the Telegraph newspaper: "Raw milk is essential. Pasteurised milk is dead and preserving microbes is the key to everything: flavour, texture and smell."
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