Andy Montoya
Pizza cheese, or low-moisture mozzarella, is a type of cheese that is specifically formulated for use on pizzas. It is manufactured to produce optimal qualities in browning, melting, stretchiness, and fat and moisture content. The preparation of pizza cheese involves adding an additional culture to the milk to achieve a controlled low final lactose content. This additional culture provides bacteria that continue to utilise lactose during cold temperature storage, and the cheese is held at cold temperatures for 5 to 15 days, or up to 30 days, to reduce lactose sugar content. The resulting cheese has improved properties for pizza-making, including reduced burning, and improved melt, flavour, and colour characteristics.
How Pizza Cheese is Made
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese Type | Mozzarella (low-moisture), Provel, Cheddar, Swiss, Provolone, Colby, Kaskaval, Muenster, Parmesan Reggiano, Fontina, etc. |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk, Vetch milk |
| Milk Preparation | Heat 2 gallons of milk to 98°F. If using pasteurized milk, add 1/2 tsp of calcium chloride while heating. |
| Culture Addition | Add culture and let re-hydrate for 2 minutes, then mix for 2 minutes. Let the milk sit at 98°F for 60 minutes. |
| Curd Formation | Allow the milk to establish a protein structure and begin to form curds. |
| Curd Processing | Stretch the curd mass to rearrange proteins for a drier, grating cheese. |
| Molding | Shape the cheese by placing the curd mass into a mold submerged in hot water. |
| Cooling | Transfer the cheese to ice-cold water to stabilize its form, then soak in brine for flavor. |
| Aging | Dry the cheese and wrap it in saran wrap or coat with cheese wax. Age in the refrigerator for 10-14 days or up to several weeks, depending on desired moisture content. |
| Function | Pizza cheese with low moisture, optimal browning, melting, stretchiness, and fat content. |
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What You'll Learn
Mozzarella is the most popular pizza cheese
Mozzarella is the most popular cheese used for pizzas. It is a soft spun-curd cheese made from cow's milk. The International Dictionary of Food and Cooking defines pizza cheese as "a soft spun-curd cheese similar to Mozzarella made from cow's milk...used particularly for pizzas and contains somewhat less water than real Mozzarella".
Mozzarella is favoured for its savoury umami taste and its ability to melt and stretch into aromatic strands. It is also a very versatile cheese that can be used on its own or in conjunction with other cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, Provolone, Cheddar, and Muenster.
Mozzarella comes in two types: "regular" and "low-moisture". Regular Mozzarella has a moisture content of more than 52% up to 60%, while low-moisture Mozzarella has a moisture content above 45% but not over 52%. Low-moisture Mozzarella, also known as "pizza cheese", was first manufactured in dairy factories in the Midwestern United States and is specifically formulated for pizza. It has a firmer texture, is easier to grate, has better browning and melting characteristics, and is less perishable.
To achieve a controlled low final lactose content in pizza cheese, the milk in the cheese vat is inoculated with an additional culture. This culture provides bacteria that continue to utilise lactose after the pizza cheese has been made and is being held in cold temperature storage. This results in improved properties for pizza manufacture, including reduced burning, and improved melt, flavour, and colour characteristics.
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Low-moisture mozzarella is the standard pizza cheese
The process of making low-moisture mozzarella involves heating milk to 98°F and adding a starter culture. This culture is selected from a group of bacteria including Pediococcus cerevisiae, Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus faecalis, Streptococcus durans, and Lactobacillus casei. The bacteria must be capable of utilising lactose, surviving high temperatures, and be relatively salt-tolerant. The milk and culture mixture is then stirred and allowed to rehydrate and mix. After this, the milk is kept at a target temperature of 98°F while the culture establishes itself.
The next step is to stretch the curd mass to rearrange the protein structure for a drier, grating cheese. This process transforms the curd into an elastic mass that joins together when stretched and squeezed. The cheese can then be shaped by placing it into a mould submerged in hot water. The cheese is then cooled in very cold water to stabilise its form and soaked in a saturated brine for flavour. It is then removed from the brine and allowed to dry, before being wrapped and stored in the refrigerator to age. During this time, enzymes in the cheese break down fats and proteins, resulting in a softer texture, stronger flavour, and improved melting characteristics.
The use of low-moisture mozzarella on pizzas helps to prevent the cheese from burning and blistering. It also produces less oil when melted, resulting in less excess oil on the pizza. This type of mozzarella is the most popular pizza cheese globally, although it is estimated that only 30% of pizza cheese used in the United States is actual mozzarella.
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Vegetable oil increases meltability and reduces browning
Pizza cheese is a soft spun-curd cheese similar to mozzarella, but with less water content. The most common type of pizza cheese is low-moisture mozzarella, which is specifically formulated for pizza. This type of mozzarella has a firmer texture, is easier to grate, and has better browning and melting characteristics. It is also less perishable and produces less oil when melted.
To create pizza cheese with optimal qualities, manufacturers have experimented with the addition of vegetable oil, among other things. A study by Rudan and Barbano found that adding a thin layer of vegetable oil to low- and reduced-fat pizza cheese increased meltability and reduced browning and dehydration when cooked. However, the texture of the cheese became overly chewy and tough. This method of adding vegetable oil thus increases meltability and reduces browning, but at the cost of an undesirable texture.
Further studies have found other methods to increase the melt of low-fat pizza cheese, such as using pre-acidification, fat-replacers, and exopolysaccharide starter cultures, as well as higher pasteurization temperatures. For instance, a study published in the International Journal of Food & Science Technology found that a blend of vetch milk and cow milk improved stretchiness and melting characteristics.
In summary, while the addition of vegetable oil can increase meltability and reduce browning in pizza cheese, it may not be the best method due to the negative impact on texture. Other techniques, such as those mentioned above, can be used to improve meltability without compromising texture.
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The lactose content of pizza cheese is controlled
Pizza cheese is typically made from low-moisture mozzarella, which may be made from either whole milk or part-skim milk. Commercially, most pizza cheese manufactured in the United States is part-skim low-moisture mozzarella. However, pizza cheese can also be made from a blend of two or more cheeses, such as low-moisture mozzarella and provolone.
The lactose sugar content of the cheese can be determined at the beginning of cold temperature storage, and periodic tests can be conducted to monitor the progress of lactose reduction. The lactose content of pizza cheese is typically expected to be above 0.25% by weight at the start of cold storage, but it should decrease to below 0.3% by the end of the holding period. A lactose sugar content in the range of 0.0 to 0.25% is considered optimum for pizza cheese. This reduction in lactose content is beneficial as it helps prevent the cheese from burning and blistering when used for baking pizzas.
Additionally, studies have shown that adding a thin layer of vegetable oil to low- and reduced-fat pizza cheese can reduce browning and dehydration when cooked. Other methods to improve the melt and stretchiness of low-fat pizza cheese include using pre-acidification, fat-replacers, and exopolysaccharide starter cultures, as well as higher pasteurization temperatures.
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Pizza cheese is made from whole or part-skim milk
Pizza cheese, also known as low-moisture mozzarella, is typically made using a standard starter culture and an additional culture. This additional culture is selected from a group of bacteria that can survive high temperatures and are capable of utilising lactose during cold temperature storage. The bacteria must also be relatively salt-tolerant and be compatible with the entire cheese-making process. This additional culture results in a cheese product with improved properties for pizza-making, such as reduced lactose sugar content, improved melt, flavour, and colour characteristics.
To make pizza cheese, milk is heated to a specific temperature, and then a culture is added and mixed. The milk is allowed to sit at this temperature while the culture establishes itself. The curd mass is then stretched to rearrange the protein structure, transforming it into an elastic mass. This process is important for a drier pizza-style cheese that grates well. If desired, the cheese can be further shaped by placing it into a mould submerged in hot water.
After shaping, the cheese is cooled in very cold water to stabilise its form and then soaked in a brine solution for flavour. It is then removed from the brine and allowed to dry before being wrapped and stored in the refrigerator to age. During this ageing process, enzymes in the cheese break down fats and proteins, resulting in a softer texture, stronger flavour, and higher aroma. The length of ageing depends on the desired moisture content and texture of the final pizza cheese product.
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Frequently asked questions
Pizza cheese is a soft spun-curd cheese made from cow's milk. It is similar to mozzarella but contains less water.
Pizza cheese is a low-moisture cheese with a moisture content of 45-52%.
Pizza cheese can be made from whole milk or part-skim milk.
A standard starter culture is used along with an additional culture such as Pediococcus cerevisiae, Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus faecalis, Streptococcus durans, or Lactobacillus casei.
The milk used to make pizza cheese is inoculated with an additional culture that provides bacteria capable of utilizing lactose during cold temperature storage.
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