Effect of pH and Calcium Concentration on Some Textural and Functional Properties of Mozzarella Cheese

Abstract

The effects of Ca concentration and pH on the composition, microstructural, and functional properties of Mozzarella cheese were studied. Cheeses were made using a starter culture (control) or by direct acidification of the milk with lactic acid or lactic acid and glucono-delta-lactone. In each of three trials, four cheeses were produced: a control, CL, and three directly-acidified cheeses, DA1, DA2, and DA3. The cheeses were stored at 4 degrees C for 70 d. The Ca content and pH were varied by altering the pH at setting, pitching, and plasticization. The mean pH at 1 d and the Ca content (mg/g of protein) of the various cheeses were: CL, 5.42 and 27.7; DA1, 5.96 and 21.8; DA2, 5.93 and 29.6; DA3, 5.58 and 28.7. For cheeses with a high pH (i.e., approximately 5.9), reducing the Ca content from 29.6 to 21.8 mg/g of protein resulted in a significant decrease in the protein level and increases in the moisture content and mean level of nonexpressible serum (g/g of protein). Reducing the Ca concentration also resulted in a more swollen, hydrated para-casein matrix at 1 d. The decrease in Ca content in the high-pH cheeses coincided with increases in the mean stretchability and flowability of the melted cheese over the 70-d storage period. The fluidity of the melted cheese also increased when the Ca content was reduced, as reflected by a lower elastic shear modulus and a higher value for the phase angle, delta, of the melted cheese, especially after storage for <12 d. The melt time, flowability, and stretchability of the low-Ca, high-pH DA1 cheese at 1 d were similar to those for the CL cheese after storage for > or = 12 d. In contrast, the mean values for flowability and stretchability of the high-pH, high-Ca DA2 cheese over the 70-d period were significantly lower than those of the CL cheese. Reducing the pH of high-Ca cheese (27.7 to 29.6 mg/g of protein) from -5.95 to 5.58 resulted in higher flowability, stretchability, and fluidity of the melted cheese. For cheeses with similar pH and Ca concentration, the method of acidification had little effect on composition, microstructure, flowability, stretchability, and fluidity of the melted cheese.

Effect of acidulants on the recovery of milk constituents and quality of Mozzarella processed cheese

“…It is based on the fact that well emulsified fat has lower tendency to exude and coalesce from cheese upon melting (Joshi et al 2003) Texture profile analysis The textural parameters of cheese samples made with different acidulants are tabulated in Table 7. Hardness/firmness is the resistance to deformation (Guinee et al 2002). Hardness of control and TSC samples was significantly (p <0.05) different for various acidulants.…”

“…Melt time The modified method of Guinee et al (2002) was used to determine the melt time of pre-cheeses by recording the time taken in melting 100 g of pre-cheese over hot water bath.…”

Influence of medium-concentration factor microfiltration treatment on the characteristics of low-moisture Mozzarella cheese

“…As hypothesized for the differences observed in proteolysis and oiling off for CMC and MMC, it is likely that the differences in the texture resulted from the initial status of calcium salts in the cheese. It is recognized that calcium plays (at least 50%) a significant role in the functionality (melting and flow properties) and texture of Mozzarella cheese [7,[14][15][16]. Then, during refrigerated storage, the extent of Low-moisture Mozzarella by microfiltrationproteolysis as well as the proportion of micellar and soluble calcium will determine the textural characteristics of the cheeses.…”

Processing of Mozzarella cheese wheys and stretchwaters: A preliminary review

“…Developed by Breene et al [5], this process differs from the above in that it uses no starter culture. Milk is in fact directly acidified before renneting by organic acids (citric, acetic or lactic acid) or by adding glucono-δ-lactone [15] until a pH close to 5.6 is reached, which is constant during the whole process. The stretching pH is higher than that for cultured Mozzarella cheese (pH 5.3).…”