Is mozzarella recommended as part of a balanced diet?
Buffalo mozzarella and ricotta, like their cowmilk equivalents, can absolutely be included in a balanced diet as they are a significant source of high quality biological protein, calcium, and vitamins (like B2, A, and D).
However, dairy products also represent a not negligible source of saturated fats, cholesterol, and salt, which are often in excess in “western” diets.
This is why it is important to try to respect the recommendations regarding portion size and frequency of consumption.
In particular, according to the Italian guidelines for a healthy diet (which refer to healthy adult), cheeses should be consumed as a dish (so as an alternative to meat, fish, eggs, and legumes) approximately two times per week. In the case of fresh cheeses (like mozzarella and ricotta), the recommended portion is 100 g.
What is the frequency of consumption and portion size for a healthy diet according to Italian guidelines?
The nutritional value of buffalo mozzarella comes from the organoleptic properties of the buffalo milk used to produce it. It has, first of all, a higher concentration of protein and fat, plus calcium and phosphorus which, together, provide almost half of the recommended daily intake for a single individual.
Despite the high protein content and the high percentage of fat, mozzarella made from buffalo milk is a light and easily digestible food. In fact, buffalo milk contains very little lactose and has a low percentage of cholesterol due not only to the characteristics of the milk, but also the fact that it is a fresh cheese. There is a higher concentration of cholesterol in aged products, which have less moisture.
Buffalo mozzarella also has a well-balanced vitamin content. Among these are vitamins A, E, D, and those of the B group, or B1, B2, and B6. It doesn’t have excessive calories and is light despite the presence of fat and protein: 100g of product contain approximately 240Kcal. It can, therefore, be consumed in moderation even as part of a low-calorie diet.
What are the primary characteristics of buffalo mozzarella?
Buffalo mozzarella has a round, yet irregular shape that is at times oval. Its extremely thin peel is smooth, with a porcelain white colour that sets it apart from mozzarella made from cow’s milk. In fact, the latter has a colour that tends towards yellow.
The quantity of whey present in buffalo mozzarella usually indicates its freshness. In fact, as with any fresh cheese, the more time passes the more it tends to dry out. The whey that mozzarella contains doesn’t only enhance its flavour, but also its aroma. The scent of milk enzymes and the typical musky smell of buffalo milk are immediately perceptible.
Buffalo mozzarella, as previously mentioned, is characterized by a pearly white colour. Its surface is shiny and smooth with a supple and extremely thin peel that completely encases the softer mozzarella inside, which is rich in milk and therefore juicy.
The consistency of buffalo mozzarella is soft and slightly springy. This latter characteristic can be perceived particularly while chewing. The flavour, always intense and fresh, varies depending on the mozzarella’s production times.
Obviously this is a product with a rather short shelf life for fully appreciating all of its aromas. Its flavour is unmistakable and very different from that of simple mozzarella. Buffalo mozzarella has a unique taste, less delicate, but above all very closely related to the flavour of the milk from which it’s made, which gives it all of its intensity.
How does one recognize the quality of the product?
The PDO seal (protected designation of origin). This is a round, yellow and red seal that the European Community issues and which must be found affixed to every package associated with the consortium’s brand.
The price. Another important indication is definitely the price. Buffalo milk is about three times more expensive than very high quality cow’s milk, so the price is higher than cow’s milk mozzarella. The colour. It must be pearly white, like porcelain, because buffalo milk doesn’t have beta carotene and therefore the colour of the final product will never tend towards straw-yellow like normal mozzarella.
The smell. The characteristic smell of buffalo mozzarella is musky: an aroma that is typical of buffalo milk and very gently and delicately recalls that of musk, a faint hint of mushroom that complements the notes of fresh milk.
The flavour. The feeling of it in the mouth recalls that of yogurt, with a soft and pleasant acidity. The finish is like that of cream, meaning that your palate must be coated with a fatty and gratifying sensation.
The consistency. In the first hours after it has been produced, it is springy and tough. The jaw must work hard to chew, almost creating a sound. It becomes softer and suppler as the days go by, especially if stored at excessively low temperatures.
Its aroma and unique flavour are not, however, altered, especially if, prior to consuming it, it is brought back to room temperature, perhaps leaving it, with all of its liquid, immersed in warm water for several minutes.
The package. Buffalo mozzarella can be bagged in front of customers exclusively at the creamery where it is produced. Anywhere else it must already be packaged, with batch number and expiration date.
How must it be stored?
How to best store and enjoy buffalo mozzarella: always keep it immersed in its liquid up to the moment that it is served.
Store it in a cool place (in the summer, in the refrigerator at a temperature no lower than 12°C). Ideal[1]ly the unopened bags can be stored in bain-marie in cool water (approximately 15°C) in the summer and in warm water (18-20°C) in the winter.
If stored in the refrigerator at a low temperature, for the best flavour it can be immersed in hot water (35-40°C) for about five minutes before serving. Regardless, it should be left at room temperature for half an hour before putting it in hot water.
Meanwhile, to cook it, it must be removed from its liquid and placed for several hours in the refrigerator so that it can separate from the excess water, thus acquiring the proper consistency.
“Being a fresh product, the sooner you eat it, the better it is.”
