Evaluation of rheological and sensory characteristics of Mozzarella cheese prepared from blends of cow and buffalo milk

Abstract

This research was carried out to find which blend of cow and buffalo milk was more suitable for the preparation of Mozzarella cheese with a good rheological properties and sensory characteristics. In this research Mozzarella cheese was prepared by admixing cow and buffalo milk in different proportions by direct acidification method. Cheese milk was acidified using hydrochloric acid. CHYMAX rennet was used to coagulate the cheese milk. Mozzarella cheese was stretched and molded in 95 °C water. The mean score of meltability of Mozzarella cheese of the treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4 was 8.75 cm, 9.91 cm, 10.95 cm and 12.22 cm, respectively. The average stretchability of Mozzarella cheese for the treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4 was 68.50 cm, 73.00 cm, 75.25 cm and 77.75 cm, respectively. The average scores for color and appearance of Mozzarella cheese obtained in this research for the treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4 are 7.00, 7.75, 8.00 and 7.75, respectively. The scores obtained for the flavour of Mozzarella cheese for the treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4 are 7.50, 7.75, 7.75 and 8.00, respectively. The mean score of taste of Mozzarella cheese for the treatment T1, T2, T3 and T4 obtained are 7.25, 7.25, 8.00 and 8.50, respectively. The mean scores obtained for the body and texture of Mozzarella cheese for the treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4 are 7.25, 7.75, 7.87 and 8.50, respectively. The average scores for the overall acceptability of Mozzarella cheese for the treatments T1, T2, T3 and T4 are 7.00, 7.25, 8.00 and 8.38, respectively. It was concluded that treatment T4 which is a blend of 25% cow milk and 75% of buffalo milk produced a superior and more acceptable Mozzarella cheese as compared to the control Mozzarella cheese and other treatments.