More Pizza Cheese from the Same Milk Volume 

In today’s competitive pizza cheese industry, manufacturers are under increasing pressure to maximise efficiency, reduce production costs, and deliver consistent product quality. At the same time, pizza cheese must meet demanding performance requirements, including excellent meltability, stretchability, taste, texture, and sliceability, particularly in low-fat cheese formulations. 

In high-volume production, even small improvements in cheese yield and processing time can generate significant economic value by increasing productivity, optimising milk utilisation, and supporting more sustainable production. 

Developed to address these challenges, ST Optima, the new starter culture from Sacco System, helps pizza cheese manufacturers—particularly large-scale dairy operations—maximize yield, accelerate acidification, and enhance cheese functionality. By enabling the production of more pizza cheese from the same volume of milk—without negatively affecting whey quality—ST Optima delivers greater efficiency and value throughout the production process. 

Increase Pizza Cheese Yield with Improved Moisture Retention 

One of the key drivers of profitability in cheese production is maximising yield per kg of processed milk. ST Optima delivers measurable improvements by enhancing curd structure and moisture retention. 

Industrial trials demonstrated: 

• +2.21% cheese yield increase 

• +2.87% moisture retention 

By promoting a more elastic and hydrated curd matrix, ST Optima improves moisture retention, directly increasing final cheese weight without altering the dry matter content. 

👉 The outcome is clear: more pizza cheese produced from the same milk input, improving raw material utilisation and reducing production costs. 

Faster Acidification for Higher Production Efficiency 

In modern dairy manufacturing, production efficiency is closely linked to processing time. Faster acidification enables manufacturers to increase throughput and optimize plant capacity. 

ST Optima accelerates process kinetics by reaching the technological pH approximately 15 minutes earlier than standard starter cultures. 

This reduction in production time enables: 

• Shorter production cycles 

• Higher daily output 

• Improved operational efficiency 

Additionally, the high phage robustness of the strains reduces the risk of production delays and line interruptions, ensuring reliable and continuous manufacturing.  

Optimised Cheese Functionality under Real Baking Conditions 

Beyond production efficiency, pizza cheese functionality is essential for delivering a high-quality finished product. 

Meltability, stretchability, and coverage define the final quality of pizza cheese, influencing both its visual appeal and the overall eating experience. These functional properties directly affect consumer perception and product performance. 

ST Optima ensures reliable performance during baking by delivering: 

• Excellent meltability and stretchability 

• Preserved taste while preventing excessive drying 

• Uniform coverage with appealing visual results 

• Consistent performance in foodservice applications 

Importantly, it also supports low-fat pizza cheese formulations by helping maintain texture, elasticity, and sliceability—functional attributes that are typically more difficult to achieve in reduced-fat products. 

More Cheese. Less Time. Greater Value. 

The combination of higher cheese yield, faster acidification, and improved pizza cheese functionality makes ST Optima a powerful starter culture solution for modern pizza cheese production. 

For dairy producers, this translates into: 

• Higher margins through improved cheese yield 

• Reduced specific milk consumption 

• Greater production efficiency 

Discover How to Optimise Your Pizza Cheese Production 

In an increasingly competitive dairy market, manufacturers need solutions that enhance operational efficiency while delivering consistent product quality, batch after batch.  

Designed to support these goals, ST Optima helps dairy producers optimise both production efficiency and pizza cheese performance. 

👉Contact Sacco System’s technical experts to discover how ST Optima can be integrated into your production process and help optimise efficiency, yield, and product quality. 

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