Cheesemaking, compositional and functional characteristics of low-moisture part-skim Mozzarella cheese from bovine milks containing κ-casein AA, AB or BB genetic variants

Low-moisture part-skim Mozzarella cheeses were made, at pilot scale (450 kg), on five occasions at weekly intervals from milks containing κ-casein AA, AB or BB genetic variants. Compared with κ-casein A variant milks, the κ-casein B variant milks were associated with higher concentrations of casein (P < 0.001), whey protein (P < 0.02) and total protein (P < 0.001), superior curd-forming properties (P < 0.05) and increased cheese yields (P < 0.05). The moisture-adjusted (to 465 g/kg) cheese yields for the κ-casein AA, AB and BB cheeses were 91.5, 100.6, and 102.5 kg/1000 kg milk respectively. κ-Casein variant had no significant effect on the proteolysis and ripening of uncooked cheese or on the functionality (melt time, flowability and stretchability) of the cooked cheese during the course of a 90 d ripening period.