RHEOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL-PROPERTIES OF MOZZARELLA CHEESE

Dynamic viscoelastic parameters and chemical properties of Mozzarella cheese produced using a ''no-brine'' cheese making method with 3 different cooking temperatures (38, 41, and 44C) were determined. Samples were stored for 3 weeks at 4C before dynamic mechanical analysis at 22C. G', G'' and tan 6 were 5.8 - 6.4 x 10(5) dyne/cm(2), 1.9 - 2.1 x 10(5) dyne/cm(2), and 0.33 0.35, respectively, at 1% strain and 10 rad/s. The percentage of intact alpha(s)-casein and beta-casein were 38-40% and 33-35% of total protein in the cheese, respectively. The range of cooking temperatures used in this experiment had little effect on dynamic viscoelastic properties or the amount of intact protein for the cheese.