Physicochemical and Functional Mechanisms Governing Stretchability, Meltability, Off-Oil Control and Dairy Flavor Retention in Pizza Cheese Systems: A Comprehensive Review

Pizza cheese is one of the most technologically complex dairy products because its industrial quality depends simultaneously on stretchability, meltability, strand continuity, oil retention, thermal stability, browning behavior and preservation of authentic dairy flavor. Unlike conventional ripened cheeses, pizza cheese functionality is governed by dynamic interactions among pH, calcium equilibrium, para-casein network organization, emulsifying salts, fat–protein balance, moisture distribution, starter culture metabolism and thermal–mechanical processing (Fox et al., ۲۰۱۷; Lucey et al., ۲۰۰۳; Lamichhane et al., ۲۰۱۸).Current evidence demonstrates that mozzarella and pizza cheese functionality is strongly affected by pH-dependent calcium redistribution. Optimum stretching behavior is generally associated with the pH range of approximately ۵.۲–۵.۳, where partial calcium solubilization increases para-casein mobility while preserving structural continuity (Gonçalves, ۲۰۲۱; Joshi et al., ۲۰۰۳; Cortez et al., ۲۰۰۸). Calcium reduction has also been shown to improve softening, melting and flow properties in part-skim mozzarella systems (Joshi et al., ۲۰۰۳; Joshi et al., ۲۰۰۴).Phosphate-based calcium-sequestering salts improve processed cheese functionality by modifying calcium–casein interactions, improving protein hydration and enhancing emulsion stability (Deshwal et al., ۲۰۲۳; Mizuno & Lucey, ۲۰۰۷). Recent studies on processed cheese systems also show that the choice of emulsifying salt affects rheological, textural, thermal and sensory properties (Šantová et al., ۲۰۲۴; Liu et al., ۲۰۲۴). This review synthesizes the physicochemical mechanisms controlling stretchability, meltability, off-oil formation and dairy flavor retention in pizza cheese systems

کلیدواژه ها:

pizza cheese ، mozzarella ، stretchability ، meltability ، calcium equilibrium