Received fresh fior di latte mozzarella during the heatwave and it’s incredibly bitter. Is this normal?
I’m based in the UK and recently ordered some fresh mozzarella from Ooni. Unfortunately, the delivery happened right during the peak of that intense heatwave where temperatures hit a crazy 36°C in London. Because of the extreme weather, the package arrived completely warm and the ice packs meant to protect it had totally melted.
They actually sent a replacement batch right after, but the same thing happened because the heat was still so intense.
I know fresh mozzarella is supposed to be mild and milky, but I tasted a tiny bit of this batch and it is extremely bitter.
Ooni’s customer service has been great and they are sending another replacement now that the heatwave has finally broken and cooled down over the last few days. I’m just curious about the science here: is a strong bitter taste a normal sign that fresh cheese has been completely ruined by sitting in a hot delivery van in the UK heat?
Has anyone else had fresh cheese spoil like this in transit during a summer spike? I'm definitely throwing this batch away, but wanted to know if that intense bitterness is the ultimate giveaway that it's gone unsafe/bad.
Thanks!