CODEX STAN 262-2006 Standard for Mozzarella
1. SCOPE
This Standard applies to Mozzarella intended for direct consumption or for further processing, in conformity with the description in Section 2 of this Standard.
2. DESCRIPTION
Mozzarella is an unripened cheese in conformity with the General Standard for Cheese(CODEX STAN 283-1978) and the Standard for Unripened Cheese Including Fresh Cheese(CODEX STAN 221-2001). It is a smooth elastic cheese with a long stranded parallelorientated fibrous protein structure without evidence of curd granules. The cheese is rindless1 and may be formed into various shapes.
Mozzarella with a high moisture content is a soft cheese with overlying layers that may form pockets containing liquid of milky appearance. It may be packed with or without the liquid. The cheese has a near white colour.
Mozzarella with a low moisture content is a firm/semi-hard homogeneous cheese without holes and is suitable for shredding.
Mozzarella is made by “pasta filata” processing, which consists of heating curd of a suitable pH value kneading and stretching until the curd is smooth and free from lumps. Still warm, the curd is cut and moulded, then firmed by cooling. Other processing techniques, which give end products with the same physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics are allowed.
