Detection of cow milk in cooked buffalo Mozzarella used as Pizza topping

One of the most popular worldwide meals is Pizza. Among the main ingredients, buffalo or cow Mozzarella are the cheeses most widely used. Different prices between buffalo and cow Mozzarella can stimulate frauds but it is unknown whether the European official method can differentiate Mozzarella from cow or buffalo milk after oven cooking when used as a Pizza topping. Preliminary experiments with Pizza dough and Mozzarella cheeses, followed by analysis of pure buffalo, pure cow and mixed Mozzarella separated from Pizza after cooking confirmed the reliability of the official method and the possibility to quantify low amounts of cow milk. The results of a survey on more than 50 Pizzas declaring only buffalo Mozzarella as cheese ingredient, showed the fraudulent use of mixed Mozzarella. This study showed that the official method is an effective tool to demonstrate this kind of fraud, protecting consumers against improper practices and guaranteeing fair trade.