Cheeses that smell like feet get their characteristic odor primarily due to the bacterium Brevibacterium linens, which is also found on human feet and is responsible for foot odor. This bacterium thrives in damp, sweaty environments and metabolizes sulfur-containing amino acids and branched-chain fatty acids, producing volatile compounds that emit a foot-like smell125.

This phenomenon is especially common in washed-rind cheeses—cheeses that are regularly washed or brushed with salty brine or alcohol to encourage the growth of bacteria like Brevibacterium linens on the rind. The microbial breakdown of proteins and amino acids releases pungent gases like isovaleric acid and sulfur compounds (methanethiol, dimethylsulfide), which smell strongly of sweaty feet15.

Examples of these cheeses include:

• Limburger: Notorious for its strong, foot-like smell, Limburger cheese contains Brevibacterium and is often described as smelling like dirty socks or gym locker rooms24.
• Munster: Another washed-rind cheese made with Brevibacterium, often noted for its pungent aroma akin to feet2.
• Camembert: Though milder, it’s poetically called "the feet of God" due to its earthy, funky odor derived from similar bacterial activity6.
• Blue cheeses (e.g., Roquefort, Stilton): They can also smell somewhat like feet due to related compounds (methyl ketones) produced by molds breaking down fats, which overlap chemically with human foot odor3.

In summary, the foot-like smell in certain cheeses arises from the same bacteria and chemical compounds that cause foot odor, making the aroma a natural part of the funky, complex flavor profiles these cheeses develop during aging125.