Following reports that tests on 500 samples of buffalo mozzarella cheese showed roughly a quarter contained some cows milk, Reading Scientific Services is preparing for increased demand for testing.
Under the rules of its PDO protected status, buffalo mozzarella should be made using buffalo milk only - meaning use of cow's milk is prohibited.
RSSL, which is able to detect cow's milk in buffalo milk at levels as low as one per cent, is now gearing up for an increased demand for testing from concerned retailers and importers.
The company uses sophisticated techniques to extract DNA from milk and cheese, and to look for recognisable patterns that are species specific for cow and buffalo.
Similar methods can be used to determine the identity of other milks and cheeses, and to differentiate, for example, between goat's milk and sheep's milk.
