Patrick Oconnell
Pizza Hut is a popular pizza chain that primarily uses part-skim mozzarella cheese on its pizzas. This variety of mozzarella has less fat and fewer calories than whole-milk mozzarella and is widely used in American-style pizzas due to its lower moisture content. However, some Pizza Hut locations may use different types of cheese, and specialty pizzas might include Parmesan romano.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Cheese | Mozzarella |
| Variety | Part-skim, low-moisture |
| Milk Type | Skim milk |
| Supplier | Leprino Foods |
| Ingredients | Pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, nonfat milk, sodium propionate |
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What You'll Learn
Pizza Hut's cheese type
Pizza Hut uses part-skim mozzarella cheese on most of its pizzas. This variety of mozzarella has less fat and fewer calories than whole-milk mozzarella, with a quarter-cup serving containing 90 calories and 6 grams of total fat. It also has no carbohydrates and is a good source of protein, with almost 8 grams per serving. Part-skim mozzarella usually does not contain any cholesterol but has approximately 210 milligrams of sodium.
Mozzarella cheese is available in multiple varieties, including part-skim, fat-free, and whole milk. Fresh mozzarella can be purchased in a block that can be grated or shredded, or it can be bought pre-shredded. Many chefs and high-end pizzerias prefer to use whole milk mozzarella because it melts better and has a richer flavor. However, whole milk mozzarella can be difficult to find and is usually not available at local grocery stores.
In the context of American-style pizza, it is important to use a very dry mozzarella. In Europe, the predominant variety is what, under US law, is called "fresh mozzarella," which comes in a ball, either shrink-wrapped or packed in water. In the US, it is allowed to have a moisture content of 52% to 60%, which is not suitable for American-style pizza as it can result in a soggy mess when the water leaks out during melting. In the US, most mozzarella is low-moisture (45-52% water), dried, aged, and sold in blocks instead of balls, with a longer shelf life than "fresh" mozzarella.
Some of Pizza Hut's specialty pizzas contain Parmesan Romano cheese, and the company has addressed past concerns over the ingredients of its cheese. Pizza Hut's cheese supplier, Leprino Foods, is based in Colorado and is the largest mozzarella cheese producer in the world. Leprino Foods' mozzarella cheese was reported by the magazine "The Milkwood" in 2006 to use polydimethylsiloxane, a silicone industrial chemical that is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in food. However, Leprino Foods has denied the use of this chemical in its mozzarella cheese production and asserts that it fully complies with FDA regulations.
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Pizza Hut's cheese supplier
Leprino Foods' mozzarella cheese has been the subject of controversy, as a 2006 report by the magazine "The Milkwood" suggested that it contains polydimethylsiloxane, an industrial silicone chemical not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in food. However, Leprino Foods has denied these claims, stating that they fully comply with FDA regulations.
The use of part-skim mozzarella cheese is a standard choice for pizza toppings at cheap places, as whole milk mozzarella can be difficult to find and is usually more expensive. Part-skim mozzarella has a lower fat and calorie content than whole-milk mozzarella, making it a popular option for those conscious of their calorie intake. It also has a longer shelf life than fresh mozzarella, which contains a higher moisture content and is more suitable for European-style pizzas.
While Pizza Hut primarily uses part-skim mozzarella, some of its specialty pizzas contain Parmesan Romano cheese, adding a harder cheese to enhance the flavour and texture.
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Pizza Hut's cheese ingredients
Some Pizza Hut locations may use whole milk mozzarella, which is the preferred choice for many chefs and high-end pizzerias due to its superior melting properties and richer flavour. However, whole milk mozzarella can be difficult to find in local grocery stores.
In addition to mozzarella, some of Pizza Hut's specialty pizzas contain Parmesan Romano cheese.
The type of mozzarella cheese used in pizza-making varies between American-style and European-style pizzas. In Europe, the predominant variety of mozzarella is "fresh mozzarella", which comes in a ball, either shrink-wrapped or packed in water. This type of mozzarella has a high moisture content and is not suitable for American-style pizzas, as it can make the pizza soggy. American-style mozzarella is typically "low-moisture" or "dry", with a longer shelf life than its European counterpart.
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Differences between Pizza Hut's mozzarella and regular mozzarella
Pizza Hut uses part-skim mozzarella cheese on most of its pizzas. This is the most common variety of mozzarella used in American-style pizzas due to its low moisture content. Fresh mozzarella, which is the predominant variety in Europe, has a much higher moisture content, and is not suitable for American-style pizzas as it can make them soggy.
Part-skim mozzarella has less fat and fewer calories than whole-milk mozzarella. It also has no carbohydrates and is a good source of protein. It usually does not have any cholesterol but does contain sodium.
Some people claim that whole-milk mozzarella has a richer flavor and melts better, which is why it is favored by many chefs and high-end pizzerias. However, whole-milk mozzarella can be difficult to find in grocery stores, and is more expensive.
Pizza Hut sources its part-skim mozzarella from Leprino Foods, the largest mozzarella cheese producer in the world. Leprino Foods has been the subject of controversy due to allegations that its cheese contains polydimethylsiloxane, a silicone industrial chemical that is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in food. However, the company has denied these claims and states that it fully complies with FDA regulations.
In conclusion, the main difference between Pizza Hut's mozzarella and regular mozzarella is that Pizza Hut uses part-skim mozzarella, which is a low-moisture variety that is commonly used in American-style pizzas, while regular mozzarella can refer to either the low-moisture variety or fresh mozzarella, depending on the region.
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Nutritional value of Pizza Hut's cheese
Pizza Hut uses mostly part-skim mozzarella cheese on its pizzas. This is also known as skim milk mozzarella or low-moisture mozzarella. This variety of mozzarella has less fat and fewer calories than whole-milk mozzarella, with a quarter-cup serving containing around 90 calories and 6 grams of total fat. Mozzarella typically has no carbohydrates and is a good source of protein, with about 8 grams per serving. Part-skim mozzarella usually contains no cholesterol but does have approximately 210 milligrams of sodium.
Pizza Hut's cheese supplier, Leprino Foods, has addressed past concerns over the ingredients of its lite mozzarella cheese, which is used by many pizza chains. Leprino Foods states that its lite mozzarella consists of pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, modified food starch, whey protein concentrate, nonfat milk, and sodium propionate. However, in 2006, a report by the magazine "The Milkwood" suggested that Leprino Foods' mozzarella cheese uses polydimethylsiloxane, a silicone industrial chemical that is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in food. Leprino Foods has denied these claims, stating that they fully comply with FDA regulations.
Some of Pizza Hut's specialty pizzas contain Parmesan romano cheese in addition to mozzarella. While whole milk mozzarella is considered to have a richer flavor and melts better, part-skim mozzarella is valued for its stretchiness, making it a popular choice for American-style pizza.
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Frequently asked questions
Pizza Hut primarily uses part-skim mozzarella cheese on its pizzas.
Part-skim mozzarella has less fat and fewer calories than whole-milk mozzarella. It's also stretchier than full-fat mozzarella, but loses a little on the flavour end.
Pizza Hut's mozzarella is likely to be a very dry, low-moisture mozzarella, which is different from the fresh mozzarella that is predominant in Europe.
Most Pizza Hut restaurants use mozzarella from the brand Leprino Foods, which is a company based in Colorado and the largest mozzarella cheese producer in the world.
Some of Pizza Hut's specialty pizzas contain Parmesan romano cheese.
