Natural Polysaccharide-Based Gels for Dairy Food Preservation

Water buffalo Mozzarella cheese stored in preservation liquid (a) and in gel (b) at 4°C for 20 d.

Microbial counts of water buffalo Mozzarella cheese at time 0 and stored at room temperature for 5 d. M = water buffalo Mozzarella cheese stored in preservation liquid; MA = water buffalo Mozzarella cheese stored in innovative gel; CMT = total mesophilic microflora; LAB = lactic acid bacteria.

Microbial counts of water buffalo Mozzarella cheese at d 0 and stored at 4°C for 5, 10 and 15 d. M = water buffalo Mozzarella cheese stored in preservation liquid; MA = water buffalo Mozzarella cheese stored in innovative gel; CMT = total mesophilic microflora; LAB = lactic acid bacteria.

Isoelectric focusing-PAGE analysis of the whole protein fraction from water buffalo Mozzarella cheese samples stored at 8°C in its own liquid (lane b) or in gel (lane c) for 15 d, and in its own liquid (lane d) or in gel (lane e) for 44 d. The electrophoretic profile of a freshly produced cheese sample, kept at −20°C until the analysis, is shown in lane a.

Disc-PAGE analysis of the whole protein fraction from water buffalo Mozzarella cheese samples stored at 8°C in gel (lane c) or in its own liquid (lane d) for 15 d, and in gel (lane e) or in its own liquid (lane f) for 44 d. The electrophoretic profiles of a freshly produced cheese sample and of a water buffalo whole casein sample, kept at −20°C until the analysis, are reported in lanes a and b, respectively.

Reverse phase-HPLC of the pH 4.6-soluble fraction from a freshly prepared Mozzarella cheese sample (panel A), and from the same cheese stored for 15 d at 8°C in gel (panel B) or in its own liquid (panel C).

Compression tests of water buffalo Mozzarella stored for 5 d at 4°C in gel and in its own preservation liquid compared with fresh water buffalo Mozzarella cheese.

Compression tests of Mozzarella stored for 30 d at 4°C in gel and in its own preservation liquid compared with fresh water buffalo Mozzarella cheese.