Dairy

Mediterranean Buffalo

A tier

Mediterranean buffalo are water buffalo populations long established in Italy and neighbouring countries, selected for the milk that becomes mozzarella di bufala and related pasta filata cheeses. Fat and protein are high, casein suited to stretched-curd elasticity, and flavour is clean, sweet, and distinctly non-bovine—richer and whiter than cow mozzarella milk. Campanian herds set the global quality benchmark. Beyond DOP mozzarella, the milk yields ricotta di bufala, yoghurt, and drinking milk for specialty shops. It browns slowly and tastes luxurious in gelato. Compared with Murrah, Mediterranean lines often emphasise cheese functionality and European management systems over raw tropical yield.