Manufacture of Pizza Cheese without Starter

Abstract

Cheese milk was acidified at 40 F to pH 5.6 with lactic-, acetic-or hydrochloric-acid and set at 98-100 F with 100 ml rennet/1,000 lb. Curd was cut with 1/4-inch knives, held at the setting temperature for 80 min. and heated to 120 F in 5 min. It was then drained, molded and brine salted. The pH at which the curd was molded was higher (5.6) than in conventional procedures where starters are used (5.3-5.4), and remained the same in the finished cheese since there was no lactic-acid produced by fermentation. Moisture in the 8 lots ranged from 47.92-50.15%. The cheese showed good melting and stringing properties when baked. Excessive fat leakage during baking was corrected by single stage homogenization (500 psi) of the whole milk used for standardization. Lack of tartness of flavor was overcome by acidifying with lactic-acid the tomato sauce used in the preparation of pizza.