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Review
. 2021 Mar;59(1):82-91.
doi: 10.17113/ftb.59.01.21.6707.

Mozzarella Cheese Stretching: A Minireview

Mônica Correia Gonçalves  1 , Haíssa Roberta Cardarelli  2
Affiliations
Review

Mozzarella Cheese Stretching: A Minireview

Mônica Correia Gonçalves et al. Food Technol Biotechnol. 2021 Mar.

Abstract

Mozzarella cheese stretching is a thermomechanical treatment influenced by factors such as pH, acidity, stretching time and temperature. The aim of this minireview is to provide information about the stretching step and the effect of the main factors on the functional properties of mozzarella. The presented studies show that stretching under higher temperatures promotes more interactions in the protein matrix, and changes occur in the calcium balance throughout the storage period that influence water mobility, proteolysis and lead to changes in mozzarella properties. Therefore, the information presented in this minireview may facilitate the production of mozzarella cheese with specific functional properties.

Keywords: calcium content; functional properties; pasta filata cheese; stretching temperature.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematic representation of changes in cheese structure: a) curd before thermomechanical treatment, and b) cheese after thermomechanical treatment
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Microstructure of the curd before stretching at pH=5.2 and the cheese after the stretching. Reprinted with permission (20)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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