Calories in Cheese, mozzarella, low moisture, part-skim

What makes cheese so powerful?

Low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella is not simply dried fresh mozzarella; it is a distinct product engineered specifically for American-style pizza. Fresh mozzarella contains roughly 60% water and high fat, which causes it to weep and boil into a watery soup when baked. To solve this, cheesemakers use part-skim milk and employ a pressing and drying process that reduces the moisture content to around 45 to 50 percent. This lower moisture prevents the cheese from releasing excessive water during baking, while the reduced fat content minimizes "oiling off"—the pooling of free fat on the surface of a hot pizza. The magic of its famous stretch lies in the cheese's protein structure. During the heating process, the calcium ions that bind the casein protein matrix together partially relax, allowing the proteins to slide past one another without breaking. This cross-linked network is what gives melted mozzarella its characteristic elastic pull. Because it melts cleanly and browns beautifully under high heat without burning, it became the undisputed standard for pizzerias across the United States.