Specialty Starch Closely Simulates Mozzarella Re-melt, Firmness & Stickiness
FAIRFIELD, N.J., April 24, 2006—Today’s pizzerias and restaurants use increasing amounts of imitation cheese. It is normally made by using rennet casein as a primary ingredient, or by replacing expensive casein with a specialty starch. Recently, efforts have been made to replace or partially replace rennet because of its variability. It has become a top priority to find a better alternative to rennet. According to A&B Ingredients, a specialty rice starch based on a unique variety of rice closely simulates mozzarella’s re-melt, firmness and stickiness. The advantages of this special starch include a small granule size, creamy mouthfeel and white color. In contrast, starch made from corn or potato show poor melt and flavor.
Since rice starch has a neutral or no flavor, it does not detract from the cheese flavor. In the past, imitation cheese producers could replace up to about 15 percent of the casein with specialty rice starch. The recently introduced Remy DR 7-111 rice starch, however, permits replacement of 40 percent of the casein while maintaining re-melt, firmness, stickiness and even freeze-thaw stability. This starch is available exclusively from A&B Ingredients.
Research results show these relationships:
Legend: Temperature profile; 
Reference
Mozzarella; 
40% casein replaced by Remy DR7-111
In this test, researchers measured the structure modulus under the rheometer by oscillation while increasing and decreasing the temperature.
| Replacement percentage | Firmness (grams) | Stickiness (grams) |
| Zero percent replacement | 4216.8 | 141.2 |
| 40 percent by native rice starch | 4182.8 | 1550.4 |
| 40 percent by Remy DR7-111 | 4266.4 | 277.4 |
| Corn starches | 2807 | 907 |
| Potato starches | 4300 | 2176 |
| Wheat starches | 3200 | 993 |
“This research has shown that it’s possible to make an imitation cheese that closely simulates cheese with the traditional amount of casein,” says Gil Bakal, managing director, A&B Ingredients.
Founded in 1990, A&B Ingredients is a leading supplier of rice based food starches for the food industry. Based on a tradition of research and development, A&B’s focus is to discover unique ingredients that enable its customers to create value added products. The company is committed to working, as a partner, to develop prototypes of new and improved food products. A&B maintains full applications labs, pilot plant facilities with consumer testing capabilities, and provides technical sales and marketing, importing, distribution and applications development/technical services.
For more information contact A&B Ingredients at 973-227-1390 or visit A&B’s website at www.abingredients.com.
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