(a) Description.

(1) Mozzarella cheese, scamorza cheese is the food prepared from dairy ingredients and other ingredients specified in this section by the procedure set forth in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, or by any other procedure which produces a finished cheese having the same physical and chemical properties. It may be molded into various shapes. The minimum milkfat content is 45 percent by weight of the solids, and the moisture content is more than 52 percent but not more than 60 percent by weight as determined by the methods described in §133.5. The dairy ingredients are pasteurized.

(2) The phenol equivalent value of 0.25 gram of mozzarella cheese is not more than 3 micrograms as determined by the method described in §133.5.

(3) One or more of the dairy ingredients specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section is warmed to approximately 88 °F (31.1 °C) and subjected to the action of a lactic acid-producing bacterial culture. One or more of the clotting enzymes specified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section is added to set the dairy ingredients to a semisolid mass. The mass is cut, and it may be stirred to facilitate separation of whey from the curd. The whey is drained, and the curd may be washed with cold water and the water drained off. The curd may be collected in bundles for further drainage and for ripening. The curd may be iced, it may be held under refrigeration, and it may be permitted to warm to room temperature and ripen further. The curd may be cut. It is immersed in hot water or heated with steam and is kneaded and stretched until smooth and free of lumps. It is then cut and molded. The molded curd is firmed by immersion in cold water and drained. One or more of the other optional ingredients specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section may be added during the procedure.

(b) Optional ingredients. The following safe and suitable ingredients may be used:

(1) Dairy ingredients. Cow's milk, nonfat milk, or cream, as defined in §133.3, or the corresponding products of water buffalo origin, except that cow's milk products are not combined with water buffalo products.

(2) Clotting enzymes. Rennet and/or other clotting enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin.

(3) Other optional ingredients.

(i) Vinegar.

(ii) Coloring to mask any natural yellow color in the curd.

(iii) Salt.

(iv) Antimycotics, the cumulative levels of which shall not exceed current good manufacturing practice, may be added to the cheese during the kneading and stretching process and/or applied to the surface of the cheese.

(c) Nomenclature. The name of the food is “mozzarella cheese” or, alternatively, “scamorza cheese”. When the food is made with water buffalo milk, the name of the food is accompanied by the phrase “made with water buffalo milk”.

(d) Label declaration. Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label as required by the applicable sections of parts 101 and 130 of this chapter, except that:

(1) Enzymes of animal, plant, or microbial origin may be declared as “enzymes”; and

(2) The dairy ingredients may be declared, in descending order of predominance, by the use of the terms “milkfat and nonfat milk” or “nonfat milk and milkfat”, “milkfat from water buffalo milk and nonfat buffalo milk” or “nonfat water buffalo milk and milkfat from water buffalo milk,” as appropriate.

[53 FR 3743, Feb. 9, 1988, as amended at 58 FR 2893, Jan. 6, 1993]