Mozzarella Explained

Mozzarella
Country:Italy
Source:Italian Mediterranean buffalo
cows in all 20 Italian regions; in some areas also sheep and goat
Pasteurised:Depends on variety
Texture:Semi-soft
Fat:22%
Certification:TSG

1998

Mozzarella (pronounced as /it/; Neapolitan: muzzarella, in Neapolitan muttsaˈrɛllə/) is a semi-soft non-aged cheese prepared by the pasta filata ('stretched-curd') method with origins from southern Italy.

It is prepared with cow's milk or buffalo milk, taking the following names:

Fresh mozzarella is white, but the occasional yellow/brown color of mozzarella comes from the enzyme R110.[1] Due to its high moisture content, it is traditionally served the day after it is made[2] but can be kept in brine for up to a week[3] or longer when sold in vacuum-sealed packages. Fresh mozzarella can be heard to make a distinct squeaky sound when it is chewed or rubbed.[4]

Low-moisture mozzarella can be kept refrigerated for up to a month,[5] though some shredded low-moisture mozzarella is sold with a shelf life of up to six months.[6] Mozzarella is used for most types of pizza and several pasta dishes or served with sliced tomatoes and basil in Caprese salad.

Etymology

Mozzarella, derived from the southern Italian dialects spoken in Apulia, Calabria, Campania, Abruzzo, Molise, Basilicata, Lazio, and Marche, is the diminutive form of Italian: mozza ('cut'), or Italian: mozzare ('to cut off'), derived from the method of working.[7] The term is first mentioned in 1570, cited in a cookbook by Bartolomeo Scappi, reading "milk cream, fresh butter, ricotta cheese, fresh mozzarella and milk".[8] An earlier reference of Monsignor Alicandri is also often cited as describing mozzarella, which states that in the 12th century the Monastery of Saint Lorenzo, in Capua, Campania, Alicandri offered pilgrims a piece of bread with mozza.[9]

Types

Fresh mozzarella, recognised as a traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG) since 1996 in the European Union,[10] is available usually rolled into a ball of 80g100g or about 6cm (02inches) in diameter, and sometimes up to 1kg (02lb) or about 12cm (05inches) in diameter. It is soaked in salt water (brine) or whey.

If citric acid is added and it is partly dried (desiccated), its structure becomes more compact. In this last form it is often used to prepare dishes cooked in the oven, such as lasagna and pizza.[11]

Sizes and shapes

Fresh mozzarella balls are made in multiple sizes for various uses; often the name refers to the size. Sizes smaller than the typical fist-sized ball include Ovolini, which are about the size of a hen's egg, and may be used whole as part of a composed salad or sliced for topping a small sandwich such as a slider.[12] Bocconcini are approximately bite-sized; a common use is alternating them with cherry tomatoes on a skewer for an appetizer.[13] Ciliegine are cherry-sized.[14] Perlene are the smallest commercially produced and are often added to salads or into hot soups or pasta dishes just before serving.

When twisted to form a plait, mozzarella is called "Italian: treccia".

Variants

Fresh

Traditionally mozzarella is allowed to dry and harden after it's pulled into shape, while fresh mozzarella is packed in liquid for easy consumption.

Buffalo's milk

In Italy, the cheese is produced nationwide using Italian buffalo's milk under the government's official name mozzarella di latte di bufala because Italian buffalo are present in all Italian regions. Only selected mozzarella di bufala campana PDO is a type, made from the milk of Italian buffalo raised in designated areas of Campania, Lazio, Apulia, and Molise. Unlike other mozzarellas—50% of whose production derives from non-Italian and often semi-coagulated milk[15] —it holds the status of a protected designation of origin (PDO: 1996) under European Union law[16] and UK law.[17]

Cow's milk

Fior di latte is made from fresh pasteurized or unpasteurized cow's milk and not water buffalo milk, which greatly lowers its cost. Outside the EU, "mozzarella" not clearly labeled as deriving from water buffalo can be presumed to derive from cow’s milk.

Sheep's milk

Mozzarella of sheep milk, sometimes called "mozzarella pecorella", is typical of Sardinia, Abruzzo, and Lazio, where it is also called "mozzapecora". It is worked with the addition of the rennet of lamb.[18] [19] [20]

Goat's milk

Mozzarella of goat milk is of recent origin and the producers are still few.[21]

Low-moisture

Several variants have been specifically formulated and prepared for use on pizza, such as low-moisture mozzarella cheese.[22] [23] The International Dictionary of Food and Cooking defines this cheese as "a soft spun-curd cheese similar to mozzarella made from cow's milk" that is "[u]sed particularly for pizzas and [that] contains somewhat less water than real mozzarella".[24]

Low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, widely used in the food service industry, has a low galactose content, per some consumers' preference for cheese on pizza to have low or moderate browning.[25] [26] Some pizza cheeses derived from skim mozzarella variants were designed not to require aging or the use of starter.[27] Others can be made through the direct acidification of milk.

Smoked

Mozzarella is also available in smoked (Italian: affumicata).[28]

Turkish

Çaycuma mozzarella cheese and Kandıra mozzarella cheese are Turkish cheeses made of buffalo's milk.[29] [30]

Production

Cheese, mozzarella, whole milk
Water:50 g
Kcal:300
Protein:22.2 g
Fat:22.4 g
Satfat:13.2 g
Monofat:6.6 g
Carbs:2.2 g
Sugars:1 g
Calcium Mg:505
Phosphorus Mg:354
Sodium Mg:627
Source Usda:1

Mozzarella di bufala is traditionally produced solely from the milk of the Italian Mediterranean buffalo. A whey starter is added from the previous batch that contains thermophilic bacteria, and the milk is left to ripen so the bacteria can multiply. Then, rennet is added to coagulate the milk. After coagulation, the curd is cut into large, 2.5- pieces, and left to sit so the curds firm up in a process known as healing.

After the curd heals, it is further cut into 1- pieces. The curds are stirred and heated to separate the curds from the whey. The whey is then drained from the curds and the curds are placed in a hoop to form a solid mass. The curd mass is left until the pH is at around 5.2–5.5, which is the point when the cheese can be stretched and kneaded to produce a delicate consistency—this process is generally known as pasta filata. According to the mozzarella di bufala trade association, "The cheese-maker kneads it with his hands, like a baker making bread, until he obtains a smooth, shiny paste, a strand of which he pulls out and lops off, forming the individual mozzarella."[31] It is then typically formed into cylinder shapes or in plait. In Italy, a "rubbery" consistency is generally considered not satisfactory; the cheese is expected to be softer.

Recognitions and regulations

Mozzarella received a traditional specialities guaranteed (TSG) certification from the European Union in 1998. This protection scheme requires that mozzarella sold in the European Union is produced according to a traditional recipe. The TSG certification does not specify the source of the milk, so any type of milk can be used, but it is speculated that it is normally made from whole milk.

Different variants of this dairy product are included in the list of prodotti agroalimentari tradizionali (PAT) of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies (MIPAAF), with the following denominations:[32]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Yun . J. Joseph . Barbano . David M. . Larose . Kristie L. . Kindstedt . Paul S. . January 1998 . Mozzarella Cheese: Impact of Nonfat Dry Milk Fortification on Composition, Proteolysis, and Functional Properties . Journal of Dairy Science . 81 . 1 . 1–8 . 10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(98)75543-2 . 0022-0302. free .
  2. Web site: Burrata mozzarella's creamy cousin makes a fresh impression . The Wine News Magazine . 1 April 2008 . Kotkin . Carole . October–November 2006 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071124090108/http://www.thewinenews.com/octnov06/cuisine.asp . 24 November 2007 .
  3. Web site: Staff . Mozzarella . PCC Natural Markets . Healthnotes . 1 April 2008 . 6 February 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100206085750/http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/health/1833005 . live .
  4. Nurkkala E, Hannula M, Carlson CS, Hyttinen J, Hopia A, Postema M . 2023 . Micro-computed tomography shows silent bubbles in squeaky mozzarella . Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering . 9 . 1 . 5–8 . 10.1515/cdbme-2023-1002 . 262087123 . free . 27 September 2023 . 27 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230927102851/https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/cdbme-2023-1002/html . live .
  5. Book: Correll, John . http://www.correllconcepts.com/Encyclopizza/09_Cheese/09_cheese.htm . Chapter 8 – Cheese . The Original Encyclopizza: Pizza Ingredient Purchasing and Preparation . Fulfillment Press . 978-0-9820920-7-1 . 1 April 2008 . 30 November 2011 . 25 July 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110725071959/http://www.correllconcepts.com/Encyclopizza/09_Cheese/09_cheese.htm . live .
  6. Web site: Staff . Shreds: Mozzarella, Low Moisture, Part Skim, Shredded, 6 oz. . Organic Valley . 1 April 2008 . 23 May 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080523114109/http://www.organicvalley.coop/products/cheese/shreds/mozzarella-low-moisture-part-skim-shredded-6-oz/ . dead .
  7. Web site: Mozzarella . Staff . Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online . 1 April 2012 . 6 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111006191703/http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mozzarella . live .
  8. News: David . Charter . Buffalo mozzarella in crisis after pollution fears at Italian farms . . London . 29 March 2008 . 1 April 2008 . 29 August 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080829150322/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article3643079.ece . live .
  9. Book: Alicandri L.. Il Mazzone nell'antichità e nei tempi presenti. 1915. 88. Italian.
  10. Regolamento (CE) N. 2527/98 della commissione del 25 novembre 1998 registrando una denominazione - Mozzarella - nell'albo delle attestazioni di specificità. Gazzetta ufficiale delle Comunità europee L 317/14 del 26/11/1998.
  11. Web site: Official Journal of the European Union . lex.europa.eu . 2008 . 2021-04-14 . 9 October 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121009030930/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2008:040:0017:0025:EN:PDF . live .
  12. Web site: Kapadia . Jess . 2015-10-01 . 12 Types Of Mozzarella To Know, Love and Melt . 2023-10-05 . . 7 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231007124954/https://www.foodrepublic.com/2015/10/01/12-types-mozzarella-know-love-melt/ . live .
  13. https://books.google.com/books?id=duCrM0xEkv4C&pg=PA40 The Essential Fingerfood Cookbook
  14. Web site: Ciliegine mozzarella Local Cheese From Italy . 2023-10-05 . . 30 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211230144843/https://www.tasteatlas.com/ciliegine-mozzarella . live .
  15. Web site: Roberto . Fiore . Fermiamo il formaggio Frankenstein . . 4 June 2009 . it . 1 April 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140104205358/http://www1.lastampa.it/redazione/cmsSezioni/societa/200906articoli/44305girata.asp . 4 January 2014 . dead .
  16. Commission Regulation (EC) No 103/2008 . Official Journal of the European Communities . 51 . L 31/31 . European Commission . 5 February 2008 . 28 July 2014 . 9 August 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140809231713/http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/door/registeredName.html?denominationId=474 . live .
  17. Web site: Mozzarella di Bufala Campana. UK Government. 23 October 2021. 23 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211023211809/https://www.gov.uk/protected-food-drink-names/mozzarella-di-bufala-campana. live.
  18. Web site: Sardinian quality . 15 April 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130818231649/http://cibitipici.it/prezzo/mozzarella-di-pecora . 18 August 2013 . dead .
  19. Web site: Latium quality . 22 June 2017 . 9 February 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200209121145/http://www.formaggiroma.it/pagina.php?ID=29&categoria= . live .
  20. http://www.houseificioiltratturo.it/mozzarella.htm Abruzzo quality
  21. Web site: article in 'L'Espresso' . 22 June 2017 . 14 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180614095442/http://espresso.repubblica.it/food/dettaglio/ecco-il-fior-di-latte-di-capra/2221355.html?refresh_ce . dead .
  22. Web site: Aikenhead, Charles . 1 June 2003 . Permanently pizza: continuous production of pizza cheese is now a realistic proposition . dead . https://archive.today/20130125035645/http://business.highbeam.com/137612/article-1G1-105477922/permanently-pizza-continuo . 25 January 2013 . 30 September 2012 . Dairy Industries International.
  23. Book: Fox, Patrick F. . Cheese: Chemistry, Physics and Microbiology (Major Cheese Groups) . 1999 . 2 . Aspen Publishers, Inc. . 9780834213395 . 27 September 2012.
  24. Book: Sinclair, Charles G. . International Dictionary of Food and Cooking . Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers . 1998 . 1579580572 . 417.
  25. Baskaran, D. . Sivakumar, S. . November 2003 . Galactose concentration in pizza cheese prepared by three different culture techniques . International Journal of Dairy Technology . 56 . 4 . 229–232 . 10.1046/j.1471-0307.2003.00109.x. free .
  26. Galactose is a type of sugar found in dairy products and other foods that is less sweet than glucose. Sugar in foods can lead to caramelization when they are cooked, which increases their browning.
  27. Web site: McMahon . etal . 5 September 2000 . Manufacture of Lower-fat and Fat-free Pizza Cheese . 28 September 2012 . United States Patent and Trademark Office . 10 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200110123935/https://patents.google.com/patent/US6113953?oq=pizza+cheese . dead .
  28. Web site: swabespAfra3 . 2018-01-31 . Scamorza Affumicata: Italian Smoked Scamorza . 2024-02-06 . Murgella . 6 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240206012152/https://www.murgella.com/scamorza/smoked-scamorza-affumicata/ . live .
  29. Web site: MANDA MOZZARELLA PEYNİRİ 270GR - PERİHAN ABLA. 2021-04-25. www.caycumamandayogurdu.net. tr. 25 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210425141255/https://www.caycumamandayogurdu.net/urun/manda-mozzarella-peyniri-270gr/127. live.
  30. Web site: Kandıra'da ürettikleri İtalyan peynirleriyle ithalatın önüne geçtiler. 2021-04-26. www.aa.com.tr. tr. 5 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210205105426/https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/kandirada-urettikleri-italyan-peynirleriyle-ithalatin-onune-gectiler/2134765. live.
  31. Web site: Staff . Campana Buffalo's Mozzarella Cheese . Mozzarella di Bufala Campana Trade Organization . 8 May 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081017165243/http://www.mozzarelladibufala.org/allestimento.htm . 17 October 2008 . dead .
  32. Web site: D.M. n° 54556 del 14/07/2017 "Diciassettesimo aggiornamento dell'elenco nazionale dei prodotti agroalimentari tradizionali ai sensi dell'articolo 12, comma 1, della legge 12 dicembre 2016, n. 238". Gazzetta ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana nº 176 del 29/07/2017, Supplemento Ordinario nº 41. 21 January 2019. 2 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170902010002/https://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeAttachment.php/L/IT/D/7%252Ff%252Fc%252FD.752a52535cc29bcadf34/P/BLOB%3AID%3D11568/E/pdf. live.

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