Effect of Calcium on Physicochemical Properties of Fat‐free Mozzarella Cheese

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Fat‐free mozzarella cheeses containing 4 levels of calcium (0.79%, 0.66%, 0.59%, and 0.50%) were manufactured on 4 separate occasions. Meltability as softening time and temperature, melting time and temperature, flow rate, extent of flow, decrease in cheese height during melting, melt area, whiteness ( L * value) at 5 and 60 °C and proteolysis were evaluated on 1, 7, 15, and 30 d. Reduction of 35% of the calcium increased the cheese flow to 2.5 times and the cheese also required 19% less time to melt. Low‐calcium fat‐free cheeses required lower temperature and less time to soften and melt, and had greater and faster flow. Whiteness decreased and proteolysis was greater in low‐calcium cheeses.