Rheological Behavior of Frozen and Thawed Low‐Moisture, Part‐Skim Mozzarella Cheese

Stress relaxation and dynamic profiles of low‐moisture, part‐skim (LMPS) Mozzarella cheese cylinders refrigerated 14 days (control), frozen and thawed, and stored frozen and refrigerated up to 90 days were compared. Samples were frozen at −30°C and stored at −20°C. Thawing and refrigerated storage were at 5°C. Stress relaxation tests were conducted at 20°C and dynamic spectrometry at 20°C and 60°C. The frozen and thawed Mozzarella cheese tested at 20°C became harder and more elastic with storage time, while refrigerated stored samples became softer and more elasticoviscous with time. Upon melting, both go‐day‐frozen and go‐day‐refrigerated cheeses were less elastic and less viscous than 14‐day‐refrigerated samples.