DAIRY TECHNOLOGY: CHEESE
Diagram
Mozzarella and cheddar side by side
Mozzarella
A stretched-curd cheese: the curd is kneaded in hot water until it stretches, then shaped.
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Cheddar
A dry-salted cheese: the curd is stacked and turned, then salted and pressed, then ripened.
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The core difference
Stretching against ripening. Mozzarella is eaten fresh and melts stringy; cheddar is ripened and crumbles.
Figure 1: Mozzarella compared with cheddar. Drawn in our own style from P. F. Fox, Cheese: Chemistry, Physics and Microbiology Vol. 2, Springer, 1999, chapters on cheddar p. 1 and mozzarella p. 337.
Introduction
Mozzarella and cheddar are the two most familiar cheeses, but they are made by opposite ideas. One is stretched while hot, the other is stacked, salted and left to ripen.
The core difference is the curd treatment. Mozzarella curd is kneaded and stretched in hot water, which lines its protein up into fibres that melt into strings. Cheddar curd is cut, stacked in a step called cheddaring, salted and pressed, then ripened for weeks or months, which gives it a firm, crumbly body and a sharp flavour.
Quick comparison
Table 1: Mozzarella compared with Cheddar
| Aspect | Mozzarella | Cheddar |
|---|---|---|
| Cheese family | Stretched-curd, pasta filata | Dry-salted, hard to semi-hard |
| Milk | Cow milk, or buffalo milk for mozzarella di bufala | Cow milk |
| Curd treatment | Curd kneaded and stretched in hot water at about 70 to 80 degrees C | Curd cut, stacked and turned (cheddaring), then milled and salted |
| Salting | Salted in brine after shaping | Dry salt mixed into the milled curd before pressing |
| Ripening | Eaten fresh, little or no ripening | Ripened for weeks to months, flavour sharpens with age |
| Texture | Soft, smooth, elastic, tears in strings | Firm, smooth to crumbly, slices cleanly |
| Melting | Melts into long strings, classic pizza cheese | Melts smoothly into a sauce, does not string |
| Flavour | Mild, milky, delicate | Mild when young, sharp and nutty when aged |
| Moisture | High, about 50 percent or more | Lower, about 35 to 39 percent |
| Main use | Pizza, salads, caprese, fresh eating | Sandwiches, sauces, snacks, cooking and eating |
Scientific explanation
Definition
Mozzarella is a stretched-curd cheese made by heating the curd in hot water and kneading it until it becomes elastic, then shaping it into balls or blocks.
Cheddar is a hard to semi-hard cheese made by cheddaring the curd, milling it, mixing in dry salt, pressing it into blocks, and ripening it.
Working principle
Stretching works because hot water softens the curd and the kneading lines the casein fibres up in one direction. That lined-up structure is what pulls into strings when the cheese melts.
Cheddaring works because stacking the warm curd slabs lets acid build and whey drain, which knits the curd into a firm mass. Salt then controls the microbes during ripening, and enzymes slowly break the protein down into the sharp flavours of aged cheddar.
Apparatus
For mozzarella: a cheese vat, a curd cutter, a stretching vat with hot water, and a brine tank.
For cheddar: a cheese vat, a cheddaring table, a curd mill, a press, and a ripening room held cool and humid.
Measurement procedure
For mozzarella, set the milk with rennet, cut the curd, drain the whey, then knead the curd in hot water until it stretches smoothly, shape it, and cool it in brine.
For cheddar, set the milk, cut and stir the curd, drain the whey, stack the curd slabs and turn them, mill the slabs into small pieces, mix in dry salt, press into blocks, and ripen at cool temperature.
Factors affecting readings
The acidity of the curd decides whether mozzarella stretches: too little acid and it will not stretch, too much and it falls apart.
For cheddar, the ripening temperature, time and salt level decide the flavour: warmer and longer ripening gives a sharper cheese, and too little salt lets unwanted microbes grow.
Formulas and calculations
The books give no formula for this pair. Cheese yield is measured by weighing, not calculated from a formula in the sources.
Yield can be worked out from weights: Cheese yield (percent) = (Weight of cheese divided by weight of milk) x 100. Cheddar gives a higher yield per litre than fresh mozzarella, because more whey is pressed out and the cheese is drier.
Industrial applications
- Mozzarella: pizza, where its stringy melt is the point.
- Mozzarella: caprese salad, sandwiches and fresh eating.
- Cheddar: sandwiches, burgers and snacking, where it slices cleanly.
- Cheddar: sauces, soups and baking, where it melts smoothly.
- Both: grated toppings and processed cheese, with the choice made on melt and flavour.
Advantages and limitations
- Mozzarella advantage: melts into strings and stays mild, ideal for pizza.
- Mozzarella limitation: mild flavour and short shelf life, and it must be kept in brine or sealed.
- Cheddar advantage: keeps well, slices cleanly, and its flavour deepens with age.
- Cheddar limitation: it does not string when melted, and aged cheddar can be crumbly and sharp for some tastes.
FAQ
Why does mozzarella stretch but cheddar does not?
Mozzarella curd is kneaded in hot water, which lines its protein fibres up so they pull into strings. Cheddar curd is pressed and ripened, so its protein forms a firm mass that melts smoothly instead.
Which cheese melts better on pizza?
Mozzarella. Its stringy melt and mild flavour are made for pizza, while cheddar melts into a smooth layer and can go greasy.
Is mozzarella always made from buffalo milk?
No. Most mozzarella is made from cow milk. Mozzarella di bufala is the version made from buffalo milk, and it is softer and richer.
Why does cheddar get sharper with age?
Enzymes slowly break its protein and fat down during ripening, making sharp and nutty flavour compounds over weeks and months.
Can I use cheddar instead of mozzarella on pizza?
Yes, but the result is different: it melts smoothly rather than stringing, and its flavour is stronger.
References and further reading
- P. F. Fox, Cheese: Chemistry, Physics and Microbiology, Vol. 2, Springer, 1999, chapters Cheddar Cheese and Related Dry-Salted Cheese Varieties, p. 1, and Mozzarella and Pizza Cheese, p. 337 (Google Books page read)
- Michael Tunick, The Science of Cheese, Oxford University Press, 2014, ch. 6, Stretched Curd Cheeses (Google Books page read)
- FTN books on disk: Cheese Technology, Dairy Chemistry and Biochemistry (agrimoon dairy series).
