In this article, we will explain the use of citric acid in mozzarella cheese.Citric acid was first extracted from lemon juice in 1784 by a Swedish researcher. This odorless compound has been made from lemon juice since the early 1900s, when researchers found that it could also be made from the fungus Aspergillus niger, which produces citric acid when fed sugar. Due to its acidic, sour taste, citric acid is often used as a flavoring and preservative, especially in beverages and candies. It is also used to stabilize or preserve drugs and as a disinfectant against viruses and bacteria. The conjugate base is citric acid citrate and is an important mediator in the citric acid cycle in biochemistry.
Mozzarella is one of the first cheeses that people want to learn to make. This is a very common and useful cheese. It is also one of the few cheeses that freezes well, so you can store it for the winter. There are several keys to making a successful mozzarella. You really have to understand what you are doing. This cheese is a traditional Italian cheese that is made with just a few ingredients such as milk, yeast, salt, whey (optional) and citric acid.All these ingredients are needed to create a good and elastic taste of mozzarella.Interestingly, some recipes do not use whey and citric acid.Many homemade mozzarella recipes teach people to use other options instead of citric acid, which include lactic acid, vinegar, lemon juice, acetic acid, apples and many more.These acids are good for converting milk into whey. But the problem is that the added ingredients usually do not give it a delicious taste and change its taste this is a Applications of citric acid.
First, you need to understand the composition of milk. Milk has about 85% water and 15% solid content. Of these solids, about 22% contains casein and protein in milk, 38% lactose and a sugar, 30% fat, 5% ash and 5% whey. Citric acid and whey are both chelating agents to coagulate or bind casein. Are to each other. Citric acid is cheap to use in cheese.Most commercial grade food citric acids, such as citric acid powder, are made primarily from mushrooms.For some cheeses, such as Parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano, no acid is added, but they are added to whey the day before.
The main function of citric acid in mozzarella cheese is to adjust the pH, which increases the acidity.The easiest way to help create acidity in mozzarella jams is to add citric acid to the milk before the ripening process begins. The standard amount of citric acid to use is usually 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of milk.The outer layer of casein is made up of a negatively charged substance called kappa casein, which is why all the negatively charged casein molecules are expelled, just like the pole magnets, under normal conditions and move away from each other.By adding citric acid, it neutralizes the pH and thus coagulates by producing more H + ions (positive charges) to eliminate the negative charges on the casein.Citric acid also destroys and dissolves the calcium ion in the cheese (later drained through the whey).
Calcium ion is one of the main factors in binding casein molecules to each other to form whey after the addition of whey.Just like glue, too much calcium can hold mozzarella too hard and stretch it less. Therefore, it can be regulated by acidity.High-fat milk can also soften the cheese by creating gaps between the caseins, making the cheese spongy. Heating milk destroys the protein structure of whey.The disrupted whey protein then has two sticky ends that bond between casein micelles under an acidic environment.For this reason, heating also helps the curd to accumulate.If citric acid is not used in mozzarella cheese, you will notice that the mozzarella has a slight problem in terms of texture and the cheese can hardly clot to the desired point.Think of citric acid as a substance to make mozzarella curd smaller and softer. Ideally, cheese makers add the right amount of citric acid and yeast for the best consistency.