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Cheese from Italy, the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana area

Ricotta di Bufala Campana PDO

A boundary entry, set by heat rather than by microbes. Sweet whey drained from buffalo mozzarella curd, with up to 6 % buffalo milk and 5 % whey cream allowed, is heated to no more than 96 °C until the whey proteins clot. The flakes are lifted into colanders or cloths, drained and cooled to 4 °C, and the ricotta is sold fresh within 7 days or heat-treated for up to 30 days.

Fully documentedCheese30 daysPDO (EU), Reg. (EU) No 634/2010; amended by OJ L 86, 24.3.2023Family: Whey cheese (heat-precipitated whey protein) family

Recipe

Amounts from a sourceAmounts are per 100 kg of first whey, as fixed by the specification.
First (sweet) whey from breaking buffalo mozzarella curd, titratable acidity at most 5 °SH/50 ml[buf-2022]
Buffalo milk, raw, heat-treated or pasteurised (optional)up to 6 % of the whey[buf-2022][buf-2009]
Fresh cream from buffalo whey (optional)up to 5 % of the whey[buf-2022][buf-2009]
Salt (optional); may also be added to the drained ricottaup to 1 kg per 100 kg of whey[buf-2022][buf-2009]
Starternone; a heat-set whey product

Total time across the recorded steps: 30 days

Start
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What changes: Starting material: sweet whey drained from buffalo mozzarella curd

Step 1 of 5
Collect the sweet whey
Time
Not documented
Temperature
Not documented
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented

Acid whey from fully matured mozzarella curd may not be used.

Flavour
Not documented
Texture
Not documented
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

Not documented for this step.

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

At a glance

A boundary entry, set by heat rather than by microbes. Sweet whey drained from buffalo mozzarella curd, with up to 6 % buffalo milk and 5 % whey cream allowed, is heated to no more than 96 °C until the whey proteins clot. The flakes are lifted into colanders or cloths, drained and cooled to 4 °C, and the ricotta is sold fresh within 7 days or heat-treated for up to 30 days. Made in 5 steps over 30 days. The longest step, cool and pack, takes up to 30 days (European Commission 2022) and runs at 4 °C (European Commission 2022).

Key numbers
Main stepup to 30 daysSet[buf-2022]Cool and pack
Temperature4 °CSet[buf-2022]Cool and pack

What makes this one different

Made only from the sweet whey of buffalo mozzarella, which is richer in fat than cow or sheep whey, with a cap on whey acidity so the ricotta stays mild. It is heat-set, not fermented.

Composition
Moisture under 80 %; fat at least 4 % (wet) and 20 % of dry matter; lactic acid at most 0.4 %; sodium at most 0.4 %
Before 2023
Moisture under 75 %, fat at least 12 % (wet) and 45 % of dry matter

Related ferments

Variants

  • FrescaOne heat treatment only; shelf life at most 7 days.
  • Lactose-freeMade from whey or milk whose lactose has been hydrolysed.

Safety

Fresh, rindless and unripened, so it is packed in the dairy and cooled to 4 °C. Shelf life is at most 7 days for 'fresca' and at most 30 days for ricotta heat-treated after draining.

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

In 1859 Achille Bruni of Naples described buffalo ricotta being made from fresh whey separated as soon as the curd was broken. The 2023 amendment lowered the fat minimum, raised the heating limit to 96 °C and extended shelf life to 30 days.

  1. [buf-reg634] Commission Regulation (EU) No 634/2010 of 19 July 2010 entering a name in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications (Ricotta di Bufala Campana (PDO)), OJ L 186, 20.7.2010, p. 14, via publications.europa.euspec
  2. [buf-2009] European Commission 2009, publication of an application, single document 'Ricotta di Bufala Campana', OJ C 260, 30.10.2009 (CELEX 52009XC1030(05)), via publications.europa.euspec
  3. [buf-2022] European Commission 2022, publication of an amendment application and single document 'Ricotta di Bufala Campana' PDO-IT-0559-AM01, OJ C 452, 29.11.2022 (CELEX 52022XC1129(03)), approved by OJ L 86, 24.3.2023, via publications.europa.euspec