Differential scanning calorimetry of water buffalo and cow milk fat in mozzarella cheese

Abstract

The thermal profiles of the fat in mozzarella cheeses made from cow milk (CM) and water buffalo milk (WBM) were obtained by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The DSC curves of mozzarella cheese made from WBM were distinguishable from those of CM. The curves resembled those of the corresponding milk fats and could be divided into low-, medium-, and high-temperature melting regions. The valley in the curve between the low- and medium-temperature melting regions was at 10.8°C in WBM cheese and below 10°C in CM cheese. In the WBM cheese, the area of the low-melting region was larger than the area of the medium-temperature melting region, but the two areas were equal in the CM cheeses. Mixtures of the two cheeses exhibited temperature and area values between those of the pure cheeses. Milk-fat mixtures showed similar behavior. The contrasting DSC melting profiles provide a way of distinguishing between the two mozzarella cheese types and for detecting mixtures of the two fats in mozzarella cheese.