Physical properties of pizza Mozzarella cheese manufactured under different cheese-making conditions

Abstract

The effect of manufacturing factors on the shreddability and meltability of pizza Mozzarella cheese was studied. Four experimental cheeses were produced with 2 concentrations of denatured whey protein added to milk (0 or 0.25%) and 2 renneting pH values (6.4 or 6.5). The cheeses were aged 8, 22, or 36d before testing. Shreddability was assessed by the presence of fines, size of the shreds, and adhesion to the blade after shredding at 4, 13, or 22°C. A semi-empirical method was developed to measure the matting behavior of shreds by simulating industrial bulk packaging. Rheological measurements were performed on cheeses with and without a premelting treatment to assess melt and postmelt cheese physical properties. Lowering the pH of milk at renneting and aging the cheeses generally decreased the fines production during shredding. Adding whey protein to the cheeses also altered the fines production, but the effect varied depending on the renneting and aging conditions. The shred size distribution, adhesion to the blade, and matting behavior of the cheeses were adversely affected by increased temperature at shredding. The melting profiles obtained by rheological measurements showed that better meltability can be achieved by lowering the pH of milk at renneting or aging the cheese. The premelted cheeses were found to be softer at low temperatures (<40°C) and harder at high temperatures (>50°C) compared with the cheeses that had not undergone the premelting treatment. Understanding and controlling milk standardization, curd acidification, and cheese aging are essential for the production of Mozzarella cheese with desirable shreddability and meltability.

Effect of somatic cell count on milk composition and mozzarella cheese quality

“…However, for mozzarella cheese, which belongs to the category of stretched curd, or "pasta fi lata" cheeses, proteolysis is a major determinant of the intact casein content, which has a large impact on the quality of mozzarella. Levels of intact casein have been suggested as a signifi cant determinant of stretching properties of melted mozzarella cheese (BANVILLE et al, 2013). The release of amino groups as a consequence of proteolysis in cheeses made with high SCC milk has been reported as a requisite to ensure browning via the Maillard reaction when the cheese is heated, regardless of the amount of residual sugars present in the cheese (KINDSTEDT et al, 2004).…”

Comparative analysis of mozzarella cheeses fortified with whey protein hydrolysates, diverse in hydrolysis time and concentrations

“…Mozzarella cheese is soft, white, unripened, lightly salted and consumed shortly without a long aging period. It's melting and stretching characteristics are highly appreciated in the manufacture of pizza (Banville et al 2013;Jeewanthi et al 2015a). Nowadays, producing high quality cheeses that meet consumers' expectations is crucial for cheese makers to remain competitive.…”

Shreddability of pizza Mozzarella cheese predicted using physicochemical properties

“…Childs et al (2007) directly measured the production of fines and the adhesion to the blade in Mozzarella cheeses with varying fat and dry matter contents using controlled, small-scale shredding equipment. Banville et al (2013) recently adapted this method to evaluate the effects of different cheesemaking conditions on the shreddability of pizza Mozzarella cheese. Despite those advances, there is a clear need for physicochemical descriptors that could predict the shredding properties of cheese before it is shredded.…”