USDA Specifications for Mozzarella Cheeses (September 24, 2012)

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USDA Specifications

for Mozzarella Cheeses

Effective September 24, 2012

(Reprinted – December 2018)
USDA Specifications for Mozzarella Cheeses (September 24, 2012)

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USDA Specifications for Mozzarella Cheeses (September 24, 2012)

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USDA Specifications for Mozzarella Cheeses

Section Page No.

1.0 Scope .................................................................................................................... 4

2.0 Plant Requirements............................................................................................... 4

3.0 Product age and Temperature Requirements ....................................................... 4

4.0 Regulatory Requirements...................................................................................... 4

5.0 Composition Requirements ................................................................................... 5

6.0 Quality Requirements............................................................................................ 5

7.0 Meltability, Stretchability and Free fat Characteristics ........................................... 7

8.0 Test Methods......................................................................................................... 7

9.0 Official Identification .............................................................................................. 7

10.0 Explanation of Terms............................................................................................. 7
USDA Specifications for Mozzarella Cheeses (September 24, 2012)

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1.0 Scope

The USDA Specifications for Mozzarella Cheeses includes Mozzarella, Lowmoisture Mozzarella, Part-skim Mozzarella, Low-moisture Part-skim Mozzarella, 

and Lite Mozzarella Cheeses. The Cheeses may be in Loaf, Sliced, Shredded, or 

Diced forms. 

2.0 Plant Requirements 

Mozzarella cheeses shall be manufactured and packaged in plants inspected by 

the AMS, Dairy Grading Branch and eligible for listing in the “Dairy Plants 

Surveyed and Approved for USDA Grading Service” publication. 

3.0 Product age and Temperature Requirements 

Mozzarella cheeses shall be aged no less than 5 days at 38° F to 42° F (3.5° C 

to 5.5° C) prior to inspection unless the cheese is shredded or diced and frozen. 

If the shredded or diced cheese is not frozen immediately after manufacture, the 

cheese shall be stored at 38° F to 42° F (3.5° C to 5.5° C) until frozen. 

4.0 Regulatory Requirements 

• Mozzarella cheese shall comply with all applicable Federal regulations including 

those contained in 21 CFR Part 133.155 for Mozzarella cheese. 

• Low-moisture Mozzarella cheese shall comply with all applicable Federal 

regulations contained in 21 CFR 133.156. 

• Part-skim Mozzarella cheese shall comply with all applicable Federal regulations 

contained in 21 CFR Part 133.157. 

• Low-moisture part-skim Mozzarella cheese shall comply with all applicable 

Federal regulations contained in 21 CFR Part 133.158. 

• Lite Mozzarella cheese shall comply with all applicable Federal regulations 

including those contained in 21 CFR Part 133.155 for mozzarella cheese, 21 

CFR Part 101.56 for nutrient content claims for “light” or “lite”, 21 CFR Part 

101.13 for general principles for nutrient content claims, and 21 CFR Part 130.10 

for foods named by use of a nutrient content claim and a standardized term. 

• Shredded Mozzarella cheeses shall also comply with 21 CFR Part 133.146 for 

grated cheeses.
USDA Specifications for Mozzarella Cheeses (September 24, 2012)

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5.0 Composition Requirements 

Samples of shredded or diced, frozen Mozzarella cheeses shall be taken prior to 

tempering. 

Mozzarella cheese 

• Milk fat - not less than 45% on dry basis. 

• Moisture – more than 52% but not more than 60%. 

• pH – not less than 5.1 and not more than 5.4. 

Low-moisture Mozzarella cheese 

• Milk fat - not less than 45% on dry basis. 

• Moisture – more than 45% but not more than 52%. 

• pH – not less than 5.1 and not more than 5.4. 

Part-skim Mozzarella cheese 

• Milk fat - less than 45% but not less than 30% on dry basis. 

• Moisture – more than 52% but not more than 60%. 

• pH – not less than 5.1 and not more than 5.4. 

Low-moisture Part-skim Mozzarella cheese 

• Milk fat - less than 45% but not less than 30% on dry basis. 

• Moisture – more than 45% but not more than 52%. 

• pH – not less than 5.1 and not more than 5.4. 

Lite Mozzarella Cheese 

• Milk fat - not less than 10.8% on dry basis. 

• Moisture – not less than 52% and not more than 60%. 

• pH – not to exceed 5.3. 

6.0 Quality Requirements 

Flavor 

Mozzarella Cheeses shall have a mild, pleasing flavor and may possess slight 

acid or feed flavors. The flavor should be absent whey taint, sour notes, heated 

or off notes associated with the use of non-fat dry milk. Vinegar flavor will not be 

acceptable.

Body and Texture 

Loaf Mozzarella cheeses and Sliced Mozzarella cheeses

A plug drawn from loaf Mozzarella cheeses or a slice from sliced Mozzarella 

cheeses shall be flexible, smooth and pliable and where sliced the slices shall 

separate easily. The cheeses shall not possess sweet holes or be gassy. 
USDA Specifications for Mozzarella Cheeses (September 24, 2012)

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Shredded or Diced Mozzarella cheeses 

Shredded or diced Mozzarella cheeses shall be loose and free from clumps 

except those that readily break up with slight pressure. The cheeses shall be free 

flowing and shall not be matted. An approved anticaking agent may be added as 

a processing aid. If an anticaking agent is used, the amount used shall be the 

minimum required to produce the desired effect, but shall not exceed 2.0 percent 

of the weight of the shredded cheeses. 

Mozzarella cheeses may possess body and texture characteristics outlined in Table I:

Table I. Classification of Body and Texture Defects

Body and 

Texture 

Characteristics

Mozzarella or lowmoisture MozzarellaPart-skim or lowmoisture part-skim 

Mozzarella 

Lite Mozzarella

loaf sliced shredded 

diced

loaf sliced shredded

diced

loaf sliced shredded 

diced

Open S S ---- S S ---- S S ----

Mealy S S S S S S S S S

Coarse S S S ---- S S ---- ---- S

Pasty S S S ---- S S ---- S S

Lacking 

Flexibility

D ---- ---- S ---- ---- S ---- ----

Weak D D S S S S S S S

Sticky ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- S S S

Rubbery ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- S S S

S = Slight

D = Definite

---- = Not allowed

Color and Appearance

Mozzarella cheeses shall have a natural white to light cream, uniform bright 

color, and attractive sheen. It may be wavy to a very slight degree, and may have 

a slight color variation due to salt penetration.

Shred and Dice Size 

• Shredded Mozzarella cheeses shall have a height and width up to 3/16 inch 

in either dimension. 

• Diced Mozzarella cheeses shall have all dimensions of the dice relatively 

equal. 

Fines

Shredded Mozzarella cheeses shall not contain more than 6.0 percent fines. 
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For shreds whose height and/or width is 1/16 inch or less, the fines content 

shall be determined using a Standard Test Sieve #14 (1.4 mm). For shreds 

whose height and/or width is greater than 1/16 inch, the fines content shall be 

determined using a Standard Test Sieve #8 (2.36 mm). 

Note: The manufacturer shall provide shred size information. This 

information will determine the sieve used to measure the fines content. If 

shred size information is not provided, the Standard Test Sieve #8 will be 

used. 

7.0 Meltability, Stretchability and Free fat Characteristics 

The cheese shall melt completely and evenly distributed over the surface of the 

crust on which it is spread. There should be no blisters. The cheese should have 

an even, slighter darker cheese color than the cheese before cooking. The 

melted cheese may be chewy, but not gummy. There should be no burnt areas. 

The cheese should be stringy and should not break. There shall be no free fat 

drippage when a slice is made and held at a slight angle.

8.0 Test Methods 

All test methods, shall be made in accordance with test methods published in the 

latest revision of the “Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official 

Analytical Chemists,” methods published in the latest revision of “Standard 

Methods for the Examination of Dairy Products,” or methods published by the 

International Dairy Federation. The meltability, stretchability and free fat content 

shall be determined by the methods contained in the latest revision of DA 

Instruction 918-RL, Laboratory Methods and Procedures, USDA/AMS/Dairy 

Programs, Dairy Grading Branch. 

9.0 Official Identification 

Mozzarella cheeses officially inspected and found to meet these requirements 

may be identified with the official USDA Quality Approved Inspection Shield.

10.0 Explanation of Terms 

A. With respect to flavor

1. Slight. An attribute which is barely identifiable and present only to a 

small degree. 

2. Acid. Sharp and pucker to the taste, characteristic of lactic or acetic 

acid. 

3. Feed. Feed flavors (such as alfalfa, sweet clover, silage, or similar 

feed) in milk carried through into the cheese. 
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B. With respect to body and texture

1. Slight. An attribute which is barely identifiable and present only to a 

small degree. 

2. Definite. An attribute which is readily identifiable and present to a 

substantial degree. 

3. Coarse. Feels rough, dry and sandy. 

4. Gassy. Gas holes of various sizes and may be scattered. 

5. Flexible. The plug may be bent without braking. 

6. Lacking Flexibility. The plug tends to break when bent. 

7. Mealy. Short body, does not mold well, and looks and feels like corn 

meal when worked between the thumb and fingers. 

8. Open. Includes mechanical openings that are irregular in shape and 

those holes that are caused by trapped air or steam during the 

procedure. 

9. Pasty. Weak body, and when the cheese is worked between the thumb 

and fingers, it becomes sticky and smeary. 

10.Plug. The cheese drawn from a loaf of cheese using a number 8 

cheese trier. 

11.Rubbery. The cheese returns to its original shape after definite 

pressure on the plug, slice, or shred.

12.Sticky. Slices or shreds that do not separate easily or cheese that 

adheres to the knife when a loaf is sliced. 

13.Sweet hole. Spherical gas holes, glossy in appearance; usually about 

the size of BB shots. 

14.Weak. Requires little pressure to crush, is soft, but is not necessarily 

sticky like pasty cheese.

C. With respect to color

1. Very slight. An attribute which is detected only upon critical 

examination and present only to a minute degree. 
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2. Wavy. Unevenness of color which appears as layers or waves. 

D. With respect to meltability, stretchability and free fat characteristics. 

1. Chewy. The cheese is slightly rubbery but breaks down quickly when 

chewed. 

2. Gummy. The cheese does not readily break down when chewed.