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Mozzarella Stretching

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vimlesh007 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 06 Sep 2011 at 7:23am
I am making mozzarella cheese for pizza making using cow milk for last 4 years in Schreiber's plant india.
Now I have been given assigment to take trial using buffalo milk in our lab using 2-3 lts. milk.
 
But till now I have taken around 5-6 trials. Don't know how I am not able to stratch curd in hot water.
 
pH of curd at stratching: 5.2-5.3.
Hot water temperature: 85oC
 
Infact I used to see youtube for mozzarella making, the way they make so smoothly is making me frustrated for my trials.
 
Any Comment pls.
 
Thx
Vimlesh
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vimlesh007 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote vimlesh007 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Sep 2011 at 8:23am
Originally posted by vimlesh007 vimlesh007 wrote:

I am making mozzarella cheese for pizza making using cow milk for last 4 years in Schreiber's plant india.
Now I have been given assigment to take trial using buffalo milk in our lab using 2-3 lts. milk.
 
But till now I have taken around 5-6 trials. Don't know how I am not able to stratch curd in hot water.
 
pH of curd at stratching: 5.2-5.3.
Hot water temperature: 85oC
And I have to make using starter culture and am using STM-5 by Chr Hansen.
Using cow milk, we kept fat:casein::1:1, so here also am retaining same ratio.
 
Infact I used to see youtube for mozzarella making, the way they make so smoothly is making me frustrated for my trials.
 
Any Comment pls.
 
Thx
Vimlesh
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MrCage View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MrCage Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Sep 2011 at 11:08pm

Vim,

At higher pH (6.6 - 6.7) the main interactions between casein molecules involve calcium phosphate. As the pH decreases, the calcium phosphate dissolves from the casein

and is replaced by hydrogen, H+. There is an increase in melt and stretch as the pH decreases. However, if the pH falls too low, the stretch characteristic can be lost. At a low pH, the caseins aggregate into large masses but there are too few contacts or interactions between the

masses to allow stretch. The actual pH at which cheese will begin to melt or stretch, or lose stretch, depends on casein content and bound calcium phosphate.

 

Cheeses higher in fat content may require a higher bound calcium content (higher pH) to maintain stretch and desired melt and vice versa for lower fat cheeses. Bound calcium phosphate content of cheese is affected by many factors, including casein content of the milk and pH of the milk and cheese during cheese manufacture.

 

If you can share the following we can see if we can get you on the right track!!

 

Specifically the following:

  •   How has the milk been processed prior to your cheese making excersize?(i.e. heat treatment, concentration etc).
  • Can you share pH and temperature of milk prior to starter addition.
  • Can you share pH and temperature of milk at coagulation and coagulant used.
  • Can  you share Total time from coagulant addition to pH  5.2.
  •         Curd Temperature at stretch
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formula123 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote formula123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Sep 2011 at 12:30am
Vim
 
Mr Cage has dealt with the major critical areas. Your responses will help him to help you.
 
In the meantime have you checked the accuracy of your pH measurements e.g. how do you standardise your pH meter?
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vimlesh007 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote vimlesh007 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Sep 2011 at 7:57am

I use to calibrate  my pH meter daily using proper buffer.

Buffalo Milk is pasteurised for 63 min. for 30 min.

I used STM-5 at 37-38oC for 70 min. pH of milk at this time is around 6.7-6.8.

After 70 min. Rennet is added (Coagulant Stick 50 ltr. of milk by CHR Hansen). Temp remains stable as i keep my vessel in incubator. pH by this time doesnot drop significantly. HArdly 0.1-0.2.

It gets set in next 30-40 min.

Cutting into 1-1.5 cm cubes is made using kitchen knife

After cutting I wait for 5 min.

Then cooking is started. Its temperature is raised to 41-42oC in nearly 10 min.

As pH reaches around 5.8-5.9 half of the whey is removed.

As pH reaches around 5.3 curd is tranfered to perforated utensil to dry it up.

As pH reaches 5.2, I add hot water(80-85oC). It raises curd temperature around 58-60oC

Time to reach pH 5.2 from the time of addition of rennet is around 2 hr.

 

I don't know where is the issue which is causing to not melt the curd. As curd will not melt uniformly in hot water, how one can work it to induce stretch in it.

 

Hope you see major flaw in my process which is causing not to melt it in hot water.

 

Thx n rgds,

Vimlesh

 

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vimlesh007 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote vimlesh007 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Sep 2011 at 12:00pm
Milk is standardised for fat: 2.5%. And casein content is again 2.5%.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MrCage Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Sep 2011 at 11:01pm

I do not see any major flaw in your method.

At first glance I suggest lowering your pH at stretching.  Your times/temperatures listed do not indicate any concerns that should equate to poor stretching.  A quick review on the differences between Buffalo milk and Cow’s milk suggest significantly higher minerals(CA:P) in Buffalo’s milk.  Approximately 40% more Calcium is present in Buffalo’s milk compared to cow’s milk.

I suggest you lower you pH at stretching to further de-mineralize your curd.  Suggest dropping your pH to the 5.1 to 5.2 range to see if you see an improved stretch.

 

Keep us posted on your work and good luck.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote formula123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Sep 2011 at 11:12pm

One of my PhD students now Dr Alison Calvert developed a good procedure for making Mozzarella but using cows' milk.

The method used was somewhat different than yours and was based on a standard large scale commercial manufacturing process to produce blocks for Mozzarella for shredding.

Basically blocks of curd were produced. These were then milled when the pH reached 5.1-5.2 the curd was stretched using hot water to give a curd particle internal temperature of 53-57C.

We found that pH values b/w 5.1 and 5.2 gave good results.

Now to pH measurement. It was not clear that you were using 2 pH buffers say 4 and 6. If you are using only 1 buffer solution you will occasionally encounter problems!

Apart from these basic comments I can’t see a lot wrong in what you are doing.






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vimlesh007 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote vimlesh007 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Sep 2011 at 6:41am

humm.........

That's the thing which is making me frustrated, it will make u frustrated too if I share further following information;
pH meter is calibrated using buffers 4.01 & 7
I tried to stretch curd at pH 4.9 but to melting to stretch. In fact at this much lower pH curd should had to become free flowing in hot water. But it didn't happen.
 
Yes, if I keep curd overnight in refrigerator, It do improves. But I can't propose it to replicate in commercial production.
 
Well I will keep taking trials and see if I can achieve result.
 
thx.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote imran saleh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Dec 2011 at 11:04am
Dear vim
i am from pakistan , and i'm facing the same problem,as you.perhaps bufallo milk is much richer in contents, so it needs a different renneting
and stretching temperatures i guess. so i tried to cut on temperatures a little bit , about as low as 88f or 30 c and 60 to 70c for stretching.once things improved but the batch i made today is still not developing a proper acidity.this is consectivly 3rd month i try mozarella almost every day...only a few succesful trails,and rest are all failiurs. but i am not giving it up..i am now making a separate workshop only for mozarella experiments.if u find anything helpful,please post it and if i found anything i'll post it.lests dont give up, as it is a good experience and a better market.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote formula123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Dec 2011 at 12:13am
Welcome to the forum and thanks for your post.

Since this is the second query about stretching and Mozzarella using buffalo milk  I have asked two Italian Mozzarella scientists to comment on the difficulties with stretching.

In the meantime I will make a few comments.

I did not ask Vim how many buffalo were in the herd producing the milk. I think we need to know this to help further.  I know that Vim believes his pH measurements were  accurate however I did not ask him how he actually measured pH; we need this information e.g. probe inserted into a block of cheese or sample of cheese macerated with water and pH measured.

Perhaps you might comment on pH and buffalo herd size?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote imran saleh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2011 at 11:31am
michael !
actually i am an amature cheese maker. i do wish to turn it into business though.now as far as india and pakistan are concerned ,we get plenty of raw milk from almost anywhere. the problem is that its usually cow and buffalo mix,with no exect ratio.but as i did my 2 experiments yesturday,one of them turned out a success. in first experiment i used half a cup of fresh yougart (dahi,common in india ,pakistan)and 4 ounces of thermophilic starter which i culture my own.this experiment failed due to excess acidity.in 2 nd experiment i used 1.25 tsp leveled citric acid at 22 c and just one ounce of thermophilic starter at 32 c which is 90 f.after 30 minutes i added double strength rennet tablet (1/2 of qtr).
after 30 minutes i cut them in 1/2 inch checker board. left it for 10 min to sit .then slightly stir 3 times with 10 minutes intervals. then left it undisturbed to sit in the bottom for 30 mints.now i checked the ph of the whey which was 6.1. this is importent .if its more then wait untill it comes in range of 6.0 to 6.3.( with my first experiment it was 4.3)then i hanged it in the cheese cloth to drain for 5-6 hrs.now when i tested a peice in hot water (80c),it was amazingly streatched like a tofy,but still i was not sure,so i waited for another 3 hrs . then i warked the whole batch in hot water and it was a wonderful result. so after a long time i was at least 90% satisfied with the result.it will be 100% if i got 3 to 4 batches success fully. and yes it tasts great too.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote imran saleh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2011 at 11:34am
i forgot to mention that while cooking the curds i raised the temp up to 38c in about 40 minutes.and i used kind of double boiler instead of heating directly.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Giuseppe Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2011 at 10:47pm
Hallo Michael, this is Giuseppe.
For people who do not know me, I am an Italian Vet and I have been working with a project related with buffalo mozzarella cheese problems during coagulation.
I have read your posts. Well, the only things I can suggest is to try to let the curdle dry up more. When you say that you can have better results after placing the curdle in the fridge it suggest me that it might be too wet when you start pooring hot water for straching.
The second thing I was thinking about is water temperature for stratching. I suggest to try using "boiling water" with temperature close to 100°C.
 
It could help you to riflect about some mistakes done during cheese making.
Hope it could help you a bit.
 
Kind regards.
 
Giuseppe
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote formula123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2011 at 11:03pm
Firstly I would like to welcome Imran Saleh to the forum.
 
Giuseppe thank you for "loggin on"and your first post and the link to the Italian Mozzarella site. 
 
I am expecting some further contributions and after these come in I will attempt to make a few hopefully helpful conclusions.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote formula123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2011 at 11:03pm
Firstly I would like to welcome Imran Saleh to the forum.
 
Giuseppe thank you for "loggin on", your first post and the link to the Italian Mozzarella site. 
 
I am expecting some further contributions and after these come in I will attempt to make a few hopefully helpful conclusions.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote imran saleh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Dec 2011 at 7:15am
thanks michael, the experiments i done so far dont makes me agreed with Giuseppe.100 c is way too much ,it melts the curds too fast and makes them runny. 85 to 90is fine.secondly i placed some curds wrapped in plastic film and next day the result was ok.but i still have to work many times on it to draw final conclusion.what i am concluding so far is the acuracy of acid development in bufallo curds ,a little more acidity and curds become a mess . less acidity ,the curs dont get properly rippened in fridge or even at room temperature. so the right ph level of curds when we take them out of whey for drain is importent i guess. and i concluded that the ph of whey at this stage must be 6.1 or 6.2.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote imran saleh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Dec 2011 at 7:38am
hi guiseppe
the link u posted is informative,thanks.i got an idea of using wooden buckets for stretching purpose, as wood contains the temperature longer then steel.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GZEPPA Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Dec 2011 at 2:21pm
Dear  VIMLESH007, I have read your description and your problem. I am not an expert on Buffalo mozzarella but  I have obtained the technology by a specific text. This is the process:
- Milk (raw or pasteurized) - fat/protein 2:1 - acidity 4-5 SH or pH 6.6-6.7
- Acidification (starter or acids) until acidity is 10-12 SH
- Rennet
- Coagulation for about 45 minutes
- First cut - stop - new cut - final dimension 3*3*3 cm
- Extraction of about 3/4 of whey (acidity of whey 14-16 SH)
- Addition of hot whey (T> 50 °C)
- Rest for 1-3 hours
- Coagulum with pH 4.8-4.9 - Whey acidity 22-23 SH
- Stretching with hot water (90-95 °C)
I hope that these guidelines are useful to your production
Best regards
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote formula123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Dec 2011 at 11:21pm
Professor Zeppa
 
Thank you for your very helpful reply. I note the high acidity (low pH) used and the temperatures used in stretching. Hopefully this information will help others working with buffalo milk to make Mozzarela.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote imran saleh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Dec 2011 at 9:17am
dear all
yesterday i repeated the same successful recipe.and drained the curds when ph of whey was 6.0 and the result was good.only difference this time was that i had to place the curd cake in refrigerator for 24 hrs to rippen untill the curd ph was 5.3. for that i directly inserted a small piece of curd in ph tester.my advice to vim is to check the milk source .because in india they fabricate milk with forign elements to increase the yeild, which cannot produce mozarella.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote imran saleh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Dec 2011 at 8:02am

so finally ,my experiments turned into success. i made 3 consective successfull batches of mozarella cheese out of 5 liters of buffalo milk every time. citric acid i used is exactly 1.25 very leveled tsp. at 32 c i added i once of thermophilic culture ( homemade).and let it rippen for 30 min.at same temperature i added rennet and waited another half an hour ,for milk to set. then cut the jell into about 1 inch checker board patren ,and let it sit for 10 min.stirring slowly i raised the temperature upto 40 c in about 40 minutes and finally let the curds sit and rest in whey for 30 minutes ,untill the ph shows 6.0.drainning the curds in cheese cloth and let it hanged for 4 hours untill a cake is developed.i left the cake in referigerator for 2 days .after 2 days i took out the cake ,brought it to room temperature in 4 hours and spun in very hot water 90-95 c .the mozarerlla balls were fabulous.finally left the balls in brine for 6 hours and this weekend i will be baking pizza out of it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote formula123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Dec 2011 at 8:29pm
Imran
 
Thank you for sharing your success with us.
 
It would seem that there are several ways in which Mozzarella made from buffalo milk can be made to stretch including storing the curd at low temperature for quite a long period as you have done.
 
All the successful approaches probably induce significant casein dissociation and demineralization and employ fairly high stretching temperatures.
 
 
 
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