Why industrial mozzarella will never be like artisanal mozzarella

Mozzarella, after all, is a simple product that doesn't require much processing. Yet industrial mozzarella, no matter how well made, can never be as good as artisanal mozzarella. For one fundamental reason: to be truly tasty, mozzarella must be eaten fresh. After just 1–2 days , it can still be excellent, but its consistency begins to change, and its flavor profile fades or evolves. After the third day, it can only be frozen, or used in cooking, either in a few dishes or for frying.

The main differences, once the premise of the different freshness has been clarified, are:

• Milk: The artisan can work with very fresh milk from selected farms. In industry, the milk It must be collected, transported, standardized, and withstand longer processes. The milk that gives the best flavor to mozzarella is that of  hoax, Naturally rich in fat and protein, it makes for a very creamy and flavorful mozzarella. Buffalo milk is less suitable for industrial mozzarella because its composition is very different from cow's milk. The curd is richer, and its behavior during stretching can be more difficult to predict. The milk most commonly used for industrial mozzarella is pasteurized, which is treated for a long time and contains freeze-dried, laboratory-generated cultures that impart a standard flavor. 
• Fermentation: In artisanal mozzarella, acidification management can be much more personalized. It is essential to develop aromas, acidity and structureTraditionally the artisan cheesemaker leaves the curd acidify through lactic acid bacteria present in milk or added by grafting and so acidification can be relatively slow and variable. The industry must obtain the same result every day, thus making fermentation much more predictable. Selected starter cultures, strictly controlled temperature conditions, and measurable parameters can be used. Furthermore, in some industrial processes, acidification can be achieved or accelerated with acidifiers, instead of relying solely on organic fermentation.
• Processing: Water temperature, length of stretching, amount of salt, and curd handling. Buffalo milk has a very different composition than cow's milk. The curd is richer, and its behavior during stretching can be more difficult to predict, and this plays a key role in the outcome. The artisan can adjust the process based on how that specific curd behaves. A freshly made mozzarella has a texture and aroma that deteriorate quickly. The industry must achieve this. the same result every day, so fermentation is made much more predictable.
• Standardization: Industry must produce thousands of pieces that are as identical as possible. This inevitably leads to process optimization for the steadiness, not for the qualitative peak of each single production.

A mozzarella designed to last 20 days is not necessarily “chemically preserved”; it has simply been technologically designed to still be in good condition on the twentieth day. Among the substances that can function as preservatives in the food industry are, for example, lactic acid (E270), citrates (E331–E333) and sorbates (E200–E202) , but this does not mean that they are all authorised or used in mozzarella : their use depends on the specific category and the formulation of the product.

The most suspicious of industrial mozzarella is the one labeled with a very long list of ingredients. The least desirable ingredients are:

• Citric acid (E330): It is also authorized for mozzarella and serves primarily to regulate acidity. It isn't a problematic ingredient in itself, but if it's used to quickly obtain the acidity needed for stretching, it may indicate a process less dependent on lactic fermentation. 
• Lactic acid (E270): It's used for acidification. It's not "bad," but it's not natural. 
• Acetic acid / buffered vinegar (E260/E267): if you are looking for a product as traditional as possible, better not to find them. 
• Glucono-delta-lactone (E575): It's specifically authorized for mozzarella and can contribute to acidification. It's another ingredient best avoided.
• Powdered cellulose (E460) : is authorized for grated and sliced ​​mozzarella, mainly to prevent the pieces from clumping together. In a whole fresh mozzarella, this would be an unusual sign; in grated mozzarella, however, it is a very specific technological function. 

Read also:

• Mozzarella Recipes: The Quickest
• Buffalo Mozzarella: Properties, Benefits, Uses, and Contraindications
• How do you store fresh mozzarella?