CHEMICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE PRODUCTION OF MOZZARELLA CHEESE

Abstract

Mozzarella cheese is a prominent member of the pasta filata or stretched curd (pulled curd), cheeses which are distinguished by a unique plasticizing and kneading treatment of the fresh curd in hot brine (5% NaCl at 80-85°C). Mozzarella cheese was originally manufactured from high fat buffaloe's milk in south Italy, but now it is made all over Italy, in other European countries and the US from cow's milk with good quality and similar rheological and sensory properties of buffaloe's 'Mozzarella. It has nuty fresh, slightly salty and acid taste, pleasant. It has various shapes, rmmd cake fonn, oval or egg andrectangular from 50 to 500 gr or in big size blocks, also presliced or preground in packages. Although Mozzarella cheese originated in Italy, the US has become its first and principle producer. Mozzarella cheeses are high in moisture, soft body and are often consumed fresh as table cheese, it is rarely used in food service as an ingredient for Pizza due to its poor shredding and clmnping properties and limited shelf life. In contrast, low moisture and low moisture-part skim Mozzarella have much lower water content, longer shelf life, finner body, good shredding properties and are used primarily as ingredients for Pizza and related foods, then it is refered to in the tentative Federal Standards of Identity as "Pizza cheese". Meltability, stretchability and elasticity are the main physical and textural characteristics of low moisture Mozzarella cheese (Pizza cheese). Recently, there are rapid expansion, continuos demand and growth requirement on consmnption of Pizza pie all over the world special US