Effect of freezing and thawing processes on high-moisture Mozzarella cheese rheological and physical properties

High-moisture Mozzarella cheese is a soft, fresh cheese characterized by a short shelf-life, but a freezing process can be effective for improving its storability. In this study, the effects of two freezing/thawing methods (the presence or absence of a covering liquid during the process), three freezing conditions (ranging from −40 °C, 4.1 ± 0.6 m/s, to −25 °C, 1.3 ± 0.2 m/s) and two thawing conditions (+4 °C, 1.3 ± 0.2 m/s, +4 °C, 4.1 ± 0.6 m/s) were evaluated on Mozzarella cheese characteristics. Cheeses with a covering liquid were characterized by water absorption during thawing, lower water holding capacity, softer texture and lower rheological moduli. Frozen/thawed cheeses without the covering liquid and stored overnight with a new covering liquid, despite having a lower juiciness, were characterized by a lower degree of freezing-induced modifications and were more similar to the fresh cheese. Cheese properties were not largely affected by the freezing/thawing conditions considered here. Freezing high-moisture Mozzarella cheese has a small impact on a product's properties if it is performed without a covering liquid and is followed by an overnight rehydration step in a fresh covering liquid. Therefore, this should be the preferred method to obtain the best quality results.