The outer layer of brie is called the rind. Cheese rinds are important characteristics which help us identify, which cheese is which.
The white rind found on brie cheese, is called a bloomy rind. It is called that because it is achieved by spraying soft cheese with specific strains of fungi — particularly Penicillium candidum, which gives brie it’s clean white rind. Of course, this strain of fungus is harmless and does not make you sick when you eat it.
Most people when they try brie, or any other cheese with a rind, for the first time are not really sure what to make of the rind. Should you eat the rind, or leave it alone? In most cases, you’ll want to eat the rind because that’s where a lot of the flavor is.
If you’re trying brie for the first time, definitely bake it. Having read this far, it will help take the edge off knowing exactly what you’re eating; but, more importantly, there are so many great baked brie recipes, that once you do it, you’ll want to keep baking brie.
Related: What is the difference between Brie and Camembert? · Why does Brie smell like ammonia? · Can you bake Brie or Camembert? · Can I eat the rind of cheese?
When Brie cheeses were first introduced to the US, they were disallowed because they were treated as having ‘living organisms’ and were thus interdicted. That’s when plastic-like coverings that looked like the original bloom were introduced. I suppose the replacement rinds are edible, but don’t expect the same gustatory effect as the Brie you get in other countries.