Effect of ripening temperature on low moisture Mozzarella cheese: 2. Texture and functionality

Abstract

Low-moisture Mozzarella cheeses were made in duplicate and ripened for 70 d at O, 4, 10 or 15 °C. For all temperatures, advance in ripening time resulted in significant (P < 0.05) decreases in the concentration of intact casein, firmness, melt time and apparent viscosity. In contrast, the flowability and stretchability of the molten cheeses increased significantly during storage. Increasing the ripening temperature from 0 to 15 °C resulted in a significant decrease in the mean concentration of intact casein and a decrease in the level of serum expressed on centrifugation. The latter changes were paralleled by a significant decrease in the mean melt time (time required for shred fusion) of the cheese over the 70 d ripening period, and a significant increase in the mean flowability and reduction in the mean apparent viscosity of the molten cheese. The effect of elevation of storage temperature on the functional attributes of the molten cheese was attributed mainly to the concomitant reduction in the content of intact casein which was negatively correlated with flowability and positively with apparent viscosity and melt time.