Impact of Freezing on the Microbiological Quality and Physical Characteristics of Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese

Abstract

Buffalo Mozzarella cheese from Campania is one of the most worldwide appreciated Italian dairy products. The increased demand for buffalo dairy products and the limited availability of the finest buffalo milk has prompted the diffusion of illicit practices, such as the use of milk, curd, or other products that are frozen or bought at low cost. The aim of this research was to provide preliminary results about the trend of the microbial communities of buffalo milk, curd and Buffalo Mozzarella cheese, during freezing storage of eleven months. At the same time, the alterations of physical properties and the presence of the molecular marker “γ4-casein”, have been investigated. The results showed that freezing reduced the concentrations of the total bacterial count, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms, Escherichia coli and yeasts in fresh milk and, the concentrations of the total bacterial count, coliforms, lactic acid bacteria and yeasts in mature curd. In the finished product, no notable decreases were observed, except for lactic acid bacteria. About the γ4-casein, no increase was observed in all matrices. These preliminary results allow us to conclude that the freezing process if properly carried out, does not compromise the microbiological quality and the physical properties of the Buffalo Mozzarella cheese.

Impact of sample refrigeration and freezing on the bacteriological counts of different bedding materials for dairy cows

“…The formation of intracellular and extracellular ice crystals might be responsible for cellular damage. Adding to this, freezing of extracellular water can lead to an increase in mineral concentrations, causing a shrinking of the cell with possible membrane lesions [23,24].…”

The multivariate effect of chemical and oxidative characteristics of Buffalo Mozzarella cheese produced with different contents of frozen curd

“…The antioxidant activity of some compounds was observed also in Buffalo Mozzarella cheese (Fedele and Bergamo 2001;Balestrieri et al 2002). Recent studies have been carried out aiming to trace the use of frozen curd and evaluate some characteristics of PDO Buffalo Mozzarella cheese (Manzo et al 2017;Biondi et al 2021;Mengucci et al 2021), but there are no studies focused on oxidation changes due to the addition of frozen milk or curd. The oxidative stability of milk and dairy products, in addition to contrasting lipid and protein oxidation, has great importance for human nutrition, also contributing to body defences against oxidation (Citta et al 2017).…”

“…2017; Biondi et al . 2021; Mengucci et al . 2021), but there are no studies focused on oxidation changes due to the addition of frozen milk or curd.…”