https://doi.org/10.17113/ftb.58.01.20.6386

New Insights in Cheese Yield Capacity of the Milk of Italian Brown and Italian Friesian Cattle in the Production of High-Moisture Mozzarela

Piero Franceschi¹, Massimo Malacarne¹, Michele Faccia², Attilio Rossoni³, Enrico Santus³, Paolo Formaggioni¹*and Andrea Summer¹

¹Department of Veterinary Science, University of Parma, Strada del Taglio 10, 43126 Parma, Italy

²Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences (Di.S.S.P.A.), University of Bari, Via G. Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy

³ANARB - Italian Brown Cattle Breeders Association, Loc. Ferlina 204, 37012 Bussolengo (VR), Italy

Article history:

Received: 27 May 2019

Accepted: 20 February 2020

Key words:

mozzarella cheese, cheese yield, cheesemaking losses, Italian Brown cattle, κ-casein B

Summary:

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of κ-casein B content in milkon the yield of high-moisture mozzarella cheese. The study was carried out by monitoringthe production of eight mozzarella cheese batches at four cheesemaking factories.At each factory, two cheesemaking trials were performed in parallel: one using bulk milkfrom Italian Brown cattle and the other using bulk milk from Italian Friesian cattle. The averageκ-casein B content was 0.04 g per 100 g in the Italian Friesian cows’ milk, whereas itwas four times higher in the Italian Brown cows’ milk, reaching values of 0.16 g per 100 g.Both the κ-casein B content and κ-casein B to casein ratio were positively correlated with actualcheese yield. Both parameters showed correlation coefficient values over 0.9, higherthan for any other protein fraction. The influence of the level of κ-casein on the increaseof the yield is probably due to smaller and more homogeneous micelles, with more efficientrennet coagulation. Consequently, milk with higher κ-casein B content produces amore elastic curd that withstands better the technological treatments and limits lossesduring curd mincing and stretching. In conclusion, the Italian Brown cows’ milk, characterizedby higher κ-casein content than the Italian Friesian’s one, allowed a yield increase ofabout 2.65 %, which is a very relevant result for both farms and cheesemaking factories.