Mozzarella is the cheese of choice on most pizzas and scientists finally found out why.
A team of food scientists from the University of Auckland in New Zealand tested the elasticity of various cheeses, including mozzarella, cheddar, Colby, Edam, emmental, gruyere and provolone using a machine equipped with a high-resolution camera and image analysis software, reports NBC News.
The composition, texture, free oil and moisture in the cheeses were examined to see how easily the cheese would brown. The elasticity was also measured to see which cheeses stretched long and stringy when you take a bite - a vital factor in pizza cheese.
Mozzarella was number one in all the categories.
The only thing better than mozzarella is mixing the cheese with other types to get the perfect consistency based on the consumer's personal preference, reports Independent.
This combination is often used on gourmet pizzas to give the browned mozzarella less of a burnt look, according to Discover Magazine.
The study was published in the Journal of Food Science.
