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Article: Evaluation of Mozzarella Cheese Stretchability by the Ring-and-Ball Method
- Article from:
- Journal of Dairy Science
- Article date:
- July 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright American Dairy Science Association Jul 2004. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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ABSTRACT
The functional quality of Mozzarella cheese is defined by its ability to melt and stretch. Currently used methods to evaluate the stretchability of Mozzarella cheese are empirical and lack control of moisture loss and temperature. The typical fork test, the imitative tensile stretch test, and the 3-pronged-hook probe tensile test all expose the test samples to ambient conditions during stretching and thus give poorly reproducible results. An objective method developed in our laboratory to evaluate stretchability of cheese is based on the principle of the Ring-and-Ball method used to measure the softening point of polymers. This technique, which controls temperature and moisture ...