Professional, I’m having difficulty in stretching my curd for mozzarella. Its not stretching, please guide me
1 Like
Technically, casein protein to uncoil and form.strands it needs heat treatment preferably in ionized water( salt solution).
So mozzarella once the protein strands are established,they can be worked out,(kneaded and pulled) like some machinery that makes mozzarella cheese .
1 Like
Thanks Roy for your contribution… I actually did that ionised whey water at about 87°c temperature for few minutes… but yet not stretching
1 Like
Its supposed to be kneaded after soaking in hot salt solution. Just like bread dough, once hydrated it needs to be kneaded to make it elastic …
1 Like
Ok… I’ll try to simulate a kneader
1 Like
Do it while warm and the casein protein are still technically are in strands…
1 Like
Have you checked the pH?
1 Like
The pH was 4.53
1 Like
Could be too low.
5.2-5.4 would be optimal for stretching.
4 Likes
Yes ,pH can be a factor. Thats why its usually heat treated in a salt solution, prior to kneading and stretching…
2 Likes
Thanks Peican & Roy, I have retried it today… I was able to achieve a pH of 5.44… However it still not stretching, I guess it could be the quality of the milk probably in terms of its proximate composition… may be or not…
Apart from the basic milk analysis, could you suggest parameter(s) to check to ascertain the quality of milk for cheese curd(mozarella)
1 Like
Other things to look for are milk fat content (I like 3% or more).
You cannot use UHT milk.
If your milk is pasteurized there should be calcium chloride in your formulation, added before your rennet.
2 Likes
I thought low calcium is known to enhance stretching . Why the need to add calcium chloride again?
1 Like
Yes Peican, I am using Pasteurised milk, but I felt using calcium chloride might affect the strands since I use citric acid
1 Like
I would leave out the citric acid and add calcium chloride. The calcium chloride will make for a strong curd in pasteurized milk. I wouldn’t use citric acid in a stretchy cheese. Good for something like ricotta or paneer but not for mozzarella.
2 Likes
It’s my understanding that lowering calcium will enhance melting properties and will speed “aging” in mozzarella style cheese but adding calcium chloride will improve your stretching.
That has been my experience at least.
Some calcium is necessary for cheesemaking and pasteurization renders calcium unavailable for curd formation.
3 Likes
Thanks very much Pelican. At what stage specifically would you then advice the calcium chloride to be added? Shortly after when culture is added and just prior to curd formation??
1 Like
You can add the calcium chloride (around 5ml per 2 gallons of milk) in the beginning along with the milk.
You can still use a bit of citric acid, about 20 grams per two gallons of milk, diluted in water and added while the temperature of the milk is coming up.
Your water should be around 76°c.-80°c. for stretching.
2 Likes