An attempt at producing a “lactose-free” directly acidified mozzarella (high moisture type) by curd washing and pressing: A chemical and sensory study

Many lactose-free dairy products are produced using commercial lactase, but not without problems such as the sweetish taste due to the presence of free glucose and galactose. The aim of the present study was to obtain a lactose-free version of direct-acidified mozzarella without using the enzyme, but removing lactose by curd washing and pressing. The best results were obtained with double curd washing, reaching the lactose target content (<0.1%) during a brief refrigerated storage. In addition, it presented lower content of the organic acids and volatile organic compounds, whereas the primary proteolysis was not affected, even after 7 days of storage compared with the control sample. On the sensory point of view, it was rather poor in terms of taste and aroma. It was concluded that the curd washing process could give better results if applied on curd obtained by mixed acidification procedure (small amount of starter and direct acidification).