The characteristic of mozzarella cheese is that it is obtained from buffalo milk. Due to the high number of buffaloes, the cheese produced in Italy at a high rate is also known as Italian cheese. Due to the scarcity of buffalo milk, most mozzarella cheese is made by mixing buffalo milk with cow’s milk. Mozzarella cheese, which Italians use in their traditional dishes, is especially known for its use in pizza. There are different types according to the usage area. It is usually sold in a shape similar to an egg. It is easily sliced and served as it is. It is also available on a grater to make it easier to use on pizza. Since it is made from buffalo milk, it has a high fat content. For this reason, it is a high-calorie type of cheese. There are full-fat and semi-fat varieties according to the fat content. The mozzarella cheese production facility can produce a single variety, or it can produce different varieties of mozzarella cheese in different production lines. The fat content of semi-fat varieties varies between 30 and 45%. In addition, the moisture content in mozzarella cheese provides cheese variety. The high moisture content of mozzarella cheese, which has low and high humidity varieties, varies between 50 and 60%, while the low moisture rate is between 40 and 50%.
Mozzarella Cheese Production Plant Stages
Mozzarella cheese production plant applies many processes to milk to create mozzarella. First, the milk from which the cheese will be made is pasteurized. It is left to mature for half an hour. After waiting in the cheese vat, the water is filtered. After the straining process is completed, the cheese is passed through the boiling and kneading machine. The boiled cheese transferred to the kneading section is stretched and kneaded. Moulded cheese is cooled and shaped. With the hardening bath, the cheese becomes ready for packaging. Let’s take a closer look at the forming process in which the last of these stages takes place. For this, cheddar and mozzarella forming machines are used. The compartments and intended uses of this machine are described below.
1 – Carrier Section
It is the section where the cheese is transported to the forming unit. Here the temperature of the cheese is maintained. It has a 100 kgs cheese hopper. The temperature setting that the cheese wants to be kept is made through this compartment. It is a section that is very easy to clean.
2 – Forming Section
Cheese coming from the carrier section comes to the forming unit with 4 spirals. This unit has 4 output channels. Output from these channels is provided in linear or rotary form. In this way, linear or twisted products are obtained. In this section, care is taken to keep the cheese temperature constant. Cleaning and maintenance is very easy.
3 – Cooling and Cutting Section
The cheese coming out of the forming section is brought to the section where the cooling process will be done via the conveyor. Here, cooling with water is done. Then the cheese is sent to the cutting department and cuts of the desired length are provided.
The mozzarella cheese production facility packs these cheeses together with the producer as the final stage.
The production speed of the machine can be adjusted. In addition to speed adjustment control, it also provides different shapes of products.