When Emmental cheese is being produced, P. freudenreichii ferments lactate to form acetate, propionate, and carbon dioxide:

Cheesemakers control the size of the holes by changing the acidity, temperature, and curing time of the mixture.

Recent research has focused on possible benefits incurred from consuming P. freudenreichii, which are thought to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract.

The performance and growth of P. freudenreichii is highly dependent on the presence of Lactobacillus helveticus, which provides essential amino acids.

[7] Propionibacterium freudenreichii was first discovered and isolated in the early 20th century by Eduard von Freudenreich and Sigurd Orla-Jensen.

The colonies can vary quite a bit in color: they have been observed as being red, pink, orange, yellow, gray, and white.

[13] On the molecular level, recent studies have indicated that the surface proteins of P. freudenreichii adhere to human intestinal cells.

This binding of surface proteins is what allows for certain functions to then take place, such as modulating the release of cytokines by human intestinal cells.