Mozzarella di Bufala Campana

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Fresh Mozzarella di Bufala Campana

Mozzarella di Bufala Campana is an Italian mozzarella cheese made from buffalo milk in the following areas of Italy: Caserta, Salerno and part of Benevento province, Naples, Frosinone, Latina and Rome. The Italian city of Aversa in the province of Caserta is recognized as the origin of this cheese. The most famous Mozzarella di Bufala family-makers in Italy are Serra and Citarella families. They're known as the founders of Buffalo Mozzarella tradition.

The cheese holds a "Protected Designation of Origin"[1] from the government of the European Union, and has been assigned the registry number 1107/96.

1 History
2 Buffalo Mozzarella - Production Stages
3 International Marketing
4 Nutrition
5 External links

[edit] History

Asian water buffaloes were brought to Italy by Goths during the migrations of the early medieval period.[2]

"In ancient times, the buffalo was a familiar sight in the countryside, since it was widely used as a draught animal in plowing compact and watery terrains, both because of its strength and the size of its hooves, which do not sink too deeply into moist soils... references to cheese products made from its milk only started to appear at the beginning of the twelfth century. Mozzarella became widespread throughout the south of Italy from the second half of the eighteenth century, before which it had only been produced in small quantities."[3]

[edit] Buffalo Mozzarella - Production Stages

Milk storage (raw buffalo milk stored in big steel containers).
Milk heating (thermic treatment to the liquid, then poured into a cream separator).
Curdling (by induction of natural whey).
Curd maturation (the curd lies in tubs in order to reduce the acidification processes and reach a Ph value of about 4.95).
Spinning (hot water is poured out on the curd in order to soften it, obtaining pasta filata).
Shaping (with special rotating shaper machines).
Cooling (by immersion in cold water).
Pickling (by immersion in pickling tubs containing the original whey).
Packaging (in special films cut as bags or in small basins and plastic.

The official technical process definition: translated from the Italian.

[edit] International Marketing

Buffalo Mozzarella cheese is now famous all over the world because many Italian factories are already exporting it to foreign countries, even as far as USA, Japan and Australia. However, this 'real' Mozzarella does not maintain ideal freshness beyond 12-24 hours. Many companies are researching and developing methods of local processing, including cattle-breeding and factory locations in other countries, to ensure quality.