High pressure treatment of reduced-fat Mozzarella cheese: Effects on functional and rheological properties

A study was undertaken to determine the effects of high pressure (HP) treatment oil the rheological and cooking properties and appearance of reduced-fat Mozzarella cheese (RFMC). RFMC of approx. 10.7% fat was manufactured at pilot-scale. A portion of the cheeses (HP) were tempered at 21 degrees C for 16 h on day 1, high pressure-treated at 400 MPa for 5 min at 21 degrees C and then stored at 4 degrees C for 35 days. The remainder of the cheeses (C) were also tempered at 21 degrees C for 16 h and then stored at 4 degrees C for 35 days. There was a significant interactive effect of HP treatment and storage time on non-expressible serum per grain protein (NESP, i.e., an index of protein hydration in the cheese), the levels of which were significantly higher in HP than in C cheeses at day 2 of storage. HP treatment also significantly decreased the L * (reduced whiteness), a * (increased greenness) and b * (reduced yellowness)-values after storage for I day, but no effect was observed after 75 days storage. However, HP treatment did not significantly effect composition, pH, proteolysis, rheological properties of the unheated cheese or flowability and stretchability of the heated RFMC. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Selection and use of autochthonous multiple strain cultures for the manufacture of high-moisture traditional Mozzarella cheese

Lactobacillus plantarum 18A, Lactobacillus helveticus 2B, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis 20F, Streptococcus thermophilus 22C, Enterococcus faecalis 32C and Enterococcus durans 16E were the most acidifying strains within 146 isolates for natural whey starters. The effect of media and temperature on 2 autochthonous multiple strain cultures (AMSI: 18A, 2B, 20F and 22C, 32C and 16E and AMSII: 18A, 2B, 20F and 22C) was studied. Genomic analysis showed a constant cell numbers for AMSII during 16 days of propagation in whey milk. Mozzarella cheese was made by using AMSII, commercial starter (CS) or citric acid (DA). Compared to other cheeses, the DA had a lower level of protein, ash, Ca, free amino acids and a higher level of moisture. Based on confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis, AMSII cheese showed the lowest microstructural variations during the period of storage compared to other cheeses. All the sensory attributes were scored highest for AMSII cheese. ASMII extend the shelf-life to ca. 12−15 days instead of the 5−7 days of traditional high-moisture Mozzarella cheese