Abstract: A process of manufacturing a mozzarella (or mozzarella-like) cheese comprising the steps of a) pasteurizing cow's milk; b) acidifying the milk to convert it to a cheese milk; c) coagulating the cheese milk to obtain a coagulum comprised of curd and whey; d) cutting the coagulum and draining the whey therefrom, thereby leaving a cheese curd; e) heating, kneading, and stretching the cheese curd until it is a homogeneous, fibrous mass of heated, unripened cheese; f) forming the heated cheese into a shape; g) cooling the shaped cheese in cold brine; and h) removing the cooled cheese from the brine. The process is improved by mixing an emulsifier such as a sodium phosphate or citrate into the heated cheese after it has been heated, kneaded, and stretched, but before it has been formed into a shape.

Abstract: By adding a minor amount of starch to a natural mozzarella cheese, the baking characteristics of the cheese when used to make a pizza can be altered, making it more suitable for a particular set of baking conditions, e.g., involving time, temperature, type of oven, crust thickness, and the toppings used. For example, the addition of about 0.001 to 0.01 wt. % of a modified high amylose starch allows a pizza with a partially pre-baked crust to be baked at 685.degree. F. in an impingement oven in as little time as 70 seconds, with the cheese being fully melted, evenly browned, and covered with small blisters, as is desired, and the crust being properly baked. Without the addition of the starch, the cheese, although melted, is not brown or blistered by the time the crust is "done.

Abstract: By adding a minor amount of starch to a natural mozzarella cheese, the baking characteristics of the cheese when used to make a pizza can be altered, making it more suitable for a particular set of baking conditions, e.g., involving time, temperature, type of oven, crust thickness, and the toppings used. For example, the addition of about 0.001 to 0.01 wt. % of a modified high amylose starch allows a pizza with a partially pre-baked crust to be baked at 685.degree. F. in an impingement oven in as little time as 70 seconds, with the cheese being fully melted, evenly browned, and covered with small blisters, as is desired, and the crust being properly baked. Without the addition of the starch, the cheese, although melted, is not brown or blistered by the time the crust is "done.

Abstract: In the manufacture of mozzarella cheese, aging can be dispensed with if the process is controlled to yield a combined moisture and wet milkfat content of at least about 70 weight percent, and the cheese will provide acceptable bake performance under typical cooking conditions used in the pizza industry today. Within about 48 hours after brining, the cheese should either be used or frozen. This discovery saves at least seven days of aging and permits the use of a continuous process of making mozzarella, which, from pasteurization to loading of the frozen product on the truck, can be performed in as little time as eight hours. In the continuous process, the hot stretched cheese from the kneading machine is extruded directly into cold brine. After the cheese has cooled sufficiently, it can be comminuted and frozen by independent quick freezing, preferably in a fluidized bed freezer. Salt preferably is mixed into the cheese during the kneading step.

Abstract: In the manufacture of mozzarella cheese, aging can be dispensed with if the process is controlled to yield a combined moisture and wet milkfat content of at least about 70 weight percent, and the cheese will provide acceptable bake performance under typical cooking conditions used in the pizza industry today. Within about 48 hours after brining, the cheese should either be used or frozen. This discovery saves at least seven days of aging and permits the use of a continuous process of making mozzarella, which, from pasteurization to loading of the frozen product on the truck, can be performed in as little time as eight hours. In the continuous process, the hot stretched cheese from the kneading machine is extruded directly into cold brine. After the cheese has cooled sufficiently, it can be comminuted and frozen by independent quick freezing, preferably in a fluidized bed freezer. Salt preferably is mixed into the cheese during the kneading step.

Abstract: A process of converting unfrozen blocks of a mozzarella cheese into a comminuted form suitable for shipment or storage is disclosed. The process involves dicing or shredding the unfrozen cheese blocks; placing the particles of cheese in a fluidized bed freezer to completely freeze each particle rapidly (e.g., within 7 minutes), and keeping the cheese in the fluidized bed until it is completely frozen and its temperature has dropped to below 0.degree. F.; removing the particulate, frozen cheese from the fluidized bed soon enought to avoid moisture loss (e.g., within 10 minutes); optionally spraying the cheese with an aqueous solution or dispersion of a cheese additive (e,g., sodium citrate); and the packaging the cheese while it is still frozen.

Abstract: A method of baking pizzas is provided in which freeflowing cheese granules are applied as a topping. The outer surfaces of the granules are coated with an aqueous carrier containing a cheese modifier for promoting the melting and fusing of the granules during baking.

Abstract: Coated frozen cheese granules are prepared by freezing the granules and applying an aqueous coating containing one or more modifying additives. On baking the cheese the additives in the frozen coatings distribute throughout the cheese to obtain modifications of flavor and other properties.

Abstract: Cheese of the kind used on pizzas is prepared in granular form, and frozen by an individual quick freezing method to maintain granule moisture and distribution. The resulting free-flowing granules can be baked on pizzas in frozen or partially frozen condition while obtaining as good quality baked pizzas as when fully thawed granule cheese is used. The problem of undue browning and blistering heretofore associated with the use of frozen cheese is avoided.

Abstract: Cheese of the kind used on pizzas is prepared in granular form, and frozen by an individual quick freezing method to maintain granule moisture and distribution. The resulting free-flowing granules can be baked on pizzas in frozen or partially frozen condition while obtaining as good quality baked pizzas as when fully thawed granule cheese is used. The problem of undue browning and blistering heretofore associated with the use of frozen cheese is avoided.