Changes in water mobility and protein stabilization of Mozzarella cheese made under different stretching temperatures

Abstract

Mozzarella cheese distinguishes itself from other cheeses by the stretching stage, which corresponds to a thermomechanical work of the curd that transforms the amorphous structure into an organized, elastic and compact structure. Adjusting the stretching temperature allows to control the chemical composition of the Mozzarella cheese. The molecular interactions involved in stretching of Mozzarella cheese are important in explaining the modifications that occur during storage. In this way, the objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of the stretching water temperature on the chemical composition, water mobility and protein stabilization of Mozzarella cheese. The stretching water temperature (75 °C and 85 °C) did not affect the composition of the Mozzarella cheeses (P > 0.05). However, there was a decrease in the water mobility (T1) of the cheeses with the refrigerated storage time (P ≤ 0.05), and an increase in the electrostatic interactions (P ≤ 0.05) and hydrogen bonds (P ≤ 0.05) with higher intensity in the cheese subjected to the stretching with water at 85 °C, which reflected in lower water mobility and lower casein degradation peaks when compared to the cheese stretching with water at 75 °C.