The influence of plant addition to some physicochemical, textural, microstructural, melting ability and sensory properties of Mozzarella cheese

Mozzarella cheese is produced by kneading the curd, which has a fibrous structure with melting and elongation properties, in hot water. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of the addition of some plants on certain properties of Mozzarella cheese. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), mint (Mentha piperita L.) and Turkish Oregano (Origanum onites L.) were added to Mozzarella cheese at the curd kneading stage, and physicochemical, textural, microstructural, meltability and sensory properties were investigated during the storage period. No plants were added to the control group cheese. Plant addition to Mozzarella cheese affected some physicochemical properties such as pH, acidity, free fatty acids, as well as textural and microstructural properties. Furthermore, it affected sensory properties, especially Turkish Oregano and mint addition provided high general acceptability and taste-aroma scores. While higher pH and lower titration acidity were determined in rosemary-added cheese samples, the lowest free fatty acid (ADV) levels were determined in the mint-added cheese sample. Rosemary-added cheeses had higher hardness and a more even microstructure, while the highest sensory scores were obstained for cheeses that included Turkish Oregano and mint. In conclusion, the present study findings demonstrated that the short shelf life of Mozzarella cheese could be extended with the addition of various plants due to their effects on pH, acidity and free fatty acids.