# Water soaking improves pizza bake properties of fat-free mozzarella cheese shreds

## TL;DR

Soaking fat-free mozzarella cheese in water improves its melting and baking performance on pizza, making it comparable to regular cheese.

## Contribution

A water soaking method is introduced to enhance the baking properties of fat-free mozzarella cheese.

## Key findings

- Water soaking lowers the melting point and improves the flowable texture of fat-free mozzarella.
- The improved baking performance persists after freeze-thaw cycles and microwave reheating.
- Soaked fat-free mozzarella performs similarly to low-moisture part-skim mozzarella on pizza.

## Abstract

Summary: Fat-free mozzarella is known to have poor baking performance on pizza application. The water soaking method improved the performance of fat-free mozzarella, making it comparable to low-moisture part-skim mozzarella. This improvement is consistent after freeze-thaw cycles and microwave reheating. The water soaking method weakened protein-protein interactions, resulting in a lower melting point for fat-free soaked cheese compared with the fat-free control, which had the highest melting point, followed by the low-moisture part-skim control. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into improving the functional properties of fat-free mozzarella cheese, contributing to its broader acceptance and use in pizza applications.

Summary: Fat-free mozzarella is known to have poor baking performance on pizza application. The water soaking method improved the performance of fat-free mozzarella, making it comparable to low-moisture part-skim mozzarella. This improvement is consistent after freeze-thaw cycles and microwave reheating. The water soaking method weakened protein-protein interactions, resulting in a lower melting point for fat-free soaked cheese compared with the fat-free control, which had the highest melting point, followed by the low-moisture part-skim control. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into improving the functional properties of fat-free mozzarella cheese, contributing to its broader acceptance and use in pizza applications.

•Nutritious fat-free mozzarella often lacks good melting and browning qualities.•Soaking cheese shreds improves pizza melting, browning, and freeze quality.•Bake quality persists even after shred freezing and pizza reheating.•Rheological analysis confirms lower melting temperature as a function of soaking.•This technique offers a healthier alternative without compromising quality.

Nutritious fat-free mozzarella often lacks good melting and browning qualities.

Soaking cheese shreds improves pizza melting, browning, and freeze quality.

Bake quality persists even after shred freezing and pizza reheating.

Rheological analysis confirms lower melting temperature as a function of soaking.

This technique offers a healthier alternative without compromising quality.

Fat-free mozzarella is valued for its low-calorie, low-fat nutrition, but suffers from poor melting, excessive browning, and rubbery texture when baked, limiting its appeal. This study builds on prior findings that soaking fat-free mozzarella shreds in water improves pizza baking performance. The research evaluates the effects of soaking on frozen-thawed shreds and on leftover pizza after refrigeration and microwave reheating, using rheometer-based analysis. Results show that soaking lowers the melting temperature and enhances flowable texture, with improvements persisting after freeze-thaw cycles and reheating. Hydrating shreds thus consistently improves performance of fat-free mozzarella pizza.