Measuring Meltability: The pH of Cheese
In Measuring Meltability: The pH of Cheese, presenter Cherry Healey visits a lab at the University of Reading to learn why mozzarella cheese is the most popular cheese when it comes to pizza. Could any other cheese have the right properties to be pizza-worthy? Learn how it all depends on pH, water concentration, and stretchability. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
Lesson Express
Q: How does the acidity of the cheese impact its meltability?
A: The acidity of the cheese shows how elastic the proteins are. When the acidity is too high or too low, the cheese doesn’t melt well.
Q: Why is mozzarella great for pizza?
A: Its acidity is just right for melting and it has a lot of stringiness because of how it is made.
Q: What aspects of cheese make it ideal for pizza?
A: Students may mention acidity, meltability, browning, and/or stringiness.