Altroconsumo tested 19 mozzarella commonly sold in Italian supermarkets and discovered that 5 weigh less than what they declare on the label. One, produced in Slovenia, probably also contains powdered milk and not just fresh milk. And that mozzarella from a discount store could be the best.
Tests continue Altroconsumo on everyday foods. This time the consumer association focused on mozzarella, one of the most popular cheeses, discovering – out of 19 products analyzed – that 5 weigh less than what they declare on the label. One, produced in Slovenia, probably also contains powdered milk and not just fresh milk. And that the mozzarella from a discount store has conquered the tasters’ palates, while the much more expensive organic one has disappointed expectations.
“Orienting yourself among the numerous brands of mozzarella, more or less well-known, which are displayed on the shelves of Italian supermarkets every day, is really complicated. On the other hand, it is the best-selling cheese in Italy: according to Assolatte, it is present in the refrigerator of nine Italian families out of ten”. For this reason, Altroconsumo analyzed and tasted 19 mozzarella made from cow’s milk or “fior di latte”, as they are sometimes called on the label, of the most common brands in supermarkets, hypermarkets and discount stores.
Here is what emerged from the trade association’s tests:
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- 5 out of 19 products (more than 25%) fail when checking the drained weight, because not only is it lower than the declared weight, but it does not even respect the tolerance window required by law.
- A mozzarella produced in Slovenia (Coop Spesotti) could also be prepared with milk powder instead of with only fresh milk, as required by law for Italian productions.
- In large-scale retail trade there are many average-good products, but none that are truly excellent.
- A Migliore del Test mozzarella (Bayerland) is produced in Germany and another in Alto Adige, proving that the production area does not affect the quality, even if it is a typical product of Southern Italy.
- Another surprise: the mozzarella that the judges (expert cheese tasters) liked the most is from the discount store Lidl (Merivio).
- The worst mozzarella in the ranking is the only certified organic one in our selection (Bio Cansiglio, bought from NaturaSì), which failed the tasting and the hygiene and state of conservation checks.
According to Altroconsumo, the lower drained weight compared to the declared net weight of some mozzarella could be due “to the structure of the cheese itself, which can dry out in the event of thermal or mechanical stress, but it can also depend on the incorrect calibration of the machine that forms the mozzarella” . Among the products analyzed in Coop Spesotti mozzarella, produced in Slovenia, traces of furosine were found, a substance that forms when milk undergoes high heat treatment as in the case of its transformation into powder. In Italy it is forbidden to produce mozzarella with this raw material, but since it was produced abroad there is no obstacle to its marketing in our country.
Citric acid instead of ferments
According to tradition, mozzarella is prepared with four ingredients: milk, enzymes, rennet and salt. Currently, however, instead of lactic ferments, several industrial mozzarella producers use citric acid (also indicated on the label as E330), an additive that reduces cheese processing times and standardizes the process. “It is – explains Altroconsumo – a safe ingredient, but mozzarella purists believe that citric acid distorts the taste and aromatic characteristics of real mozzarella. Is this really the case? Two of the three mozzarellas that the expert jury liked best of cheeses, Merivio Lidl and Conad, contain ferments and not citric acid, but the results of the tasting also reward several mozzarellas prepared with the addition of citric acid”.
The consumer association also looked for all the microorganisms that can proliferate in mozzarella if the cold chain is not respected even at the point of sale, from those dangerous to health, such as Listeria and Salmonella, to those that indicate the state of conservation, such as yeasts and molds, and the state of cleanliness and hygiene, such as Enterobacteriaceae. Two insufficient ratings for poor hygiene: Pettinicchio and Bio Cansiglio.
The tasting test
The Altroconsumo experts evaluated the mozzarella on three aspects: presentation of the shape, characteristics of the dough and flavour, keeping in mind that these were industrial and not artisanal products. “The mozzarellas in the test went rather well: the positive opinions prevailed over the insufficiencies, but only one won over the tasters. It is, surprisingly, a discount product, the Merivio mozzarella from Lidl, the most appreciated both in terms of presentation and visual and taste characteristics. For the judges, the fruity scent gives this mozzarella a very pleasant note and it is a product of great balance. However, the Granarolo and Bio Cansiglio mozzarellas were not particularly appreciated.”
