Rheological properties of low-moisture part-skim Mozarella cheese were
evaluated as a function of storage time, test temperature, and deform
ation rate by uniaxial extension in a horizontal plane. Proteolysis of
Mozzarella cheese caused marked decreases in the tensile strength and
the deformability modulus, but not in the fracture strain. As the tem
perature increased from 10 to 40C, the fracture strain increased more
than five-fold. The strength and the deformability modulus decreased a
bout 60 and 85%, respectively, as the cheese temperature increased fro
m 10 to 30C The fracture strain of the cheese did not exhibit a clear
trend with the deformation rate in the range of 50-500 mm/min. However
, its strength and deformability modulus increased with the increasing
deformation rate.