Natural Pasta-Filata Style Cheese With Improved Texture

1 . A method for making pasta-filata style cheese comprising the steps:

providing milk;

adding a starter culture to the milk;

adding calcium to the milk;

ripening the milk;

adding a rennet enzyme to the milk;

coagulating the milk at a coagulation temperature of at least 95° F. to produce curd; and

stretching the curd at a stretching pH of at least 5.25 and at a stretching temperature of at least 130° F.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the pasta-filata style cheese is string cheese.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein at least 0.01% by weight of the milk of calcium is added to the milk.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the stretching temperature is between 130-145° F.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the calcium is added to the milk prior to the ripening.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of stretching the curd, calcium is added.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein in the ripening step, ripening at a ripening temperature of at least 100° F.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the coagulation temperature is at least 100° F.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the calcium is added to the milk prior to the ripening.

10 . A method for making pasta-filata style cheese comprising the steps:

providing milk;

adding a starter culture to the milk;

adding calcium to the milk;

ripening the milk;

adding rennet enzyme to the milk;

coagulating the milk at a coagulating temperature of at least 95° F. to produce curd; and

stretching the curd.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein in the stretching step, stretching the curd at a stretching pH of at least 5.2.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein in the stretching step, stretching the curd at stretching temperature of at least 130° F.

13 . The method of claim 10 wherein in the stretching step, stretching the curd at stretching temperature of at least 130° F.

14 . The method of claim 10 wherein the milk is at least 4% by weight milk protein.

15 . The method of claim 10 wherein at least 0.01% by weight of the milk of calcium is added to the milk.

16 . A method for making pasta-filata style cheese comprising the steps:

providing milk;

adding a starter culture to the milk;

adding calcium to the milk;

ripening the milk;

adding a rennet enzyme to the milk;

coagulating the milk to produce curd; and

stretching the curd at a stretching pH of at least 5.25 and at a stretching temperature of at least 130° F.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the milk is at least 4% by weight milk protein.

18 . The method of claim 16 wherein at least 0.01% by weight of the milk of calcium is added to the milk.