Mozzarella di Bufala Campana

FreshBuffalo MilkItaly, Campania, Lazio, Puglia, MolisePDO

The protected buffalo-milk Mozzarella of south-central Italy, and the benchmark against which cow-milk versions are judged. Water buffalo milk carries considerably more fat than cow milk, which gives the cheese its weight and its slight muskiness; the specification fixes a floor of 52% fat on dry matter and a ceiling of 65% moisture. Freshness is written into the rules as well — milk has a 60-hour window between milking and the start of the make. The cheese is correspondingly fragile in distribution: quality falls away within days, so wheels shipped long distances frequently arrive mushy, watery, or already souring. Producers outside Italy, notably several grass-fed buffalo herds in Colombia, have built a reputation on air-freighting cheese that clears customs roughly two days after it leaves the vat.

Aging Time

Eat fresh — up to 3 days

Style: Fresh
Milk: Buffalo
Origin: Italy · 4 regions
Ripening: Fresh · eat within 3 days

Tasting Board

Texture

Bouncy but yielding, noticeably fatty and succulent compared with cow-milk Mozzarella.

Flavor

Rich and grassy with a faint gamy edge; should never read as sharp or sour.

Aroma

Green and grassy, slightly musky.

History & Origins

Water buffalo have been milked on the marshy plains of south-central Italy for centuries, and the stretched-curd technique was applied to their milk long before the EU register fixed the boundaries in 1996.

Cultural Significance

In its home region the cheese is bought and eaten on the day it is made, a practice that sets the standard by which the whole fresh cheese category is judged.

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PDO — What the Designation Requires

EU PDO since 1996 (eAmbrosia EUGI00000012996). The designated area covers listed municipalities in the provinces of Benevento, Caserta, Naples, Salerno, Frosinone, Latina, Rome, Foggia and Isernia, spanning the regions of Campania, Lazio, Apulia and Molise. Milk must reach the vat within 60 hours of milking. The finished cheese must carry at least 52% fat on dry matter and no more than 65% moisture, and every stage of production is recorded for traceability.

Pairing & Serving

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What to Pair It With

Ripe tomatoes, peppery olive oil, cured ham, and simple bread. Strong or acidic accompaniments overwhelm it.

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How to Serve It

Serve at room temperature, never chilled hard. Best eaten the day it is opened; store in its own liquid until then.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Calories	kcal
Protein	g
Total Fat	g
Saturated Fat	g
Sodium	mg
Calcium	mg

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