(ANSA) - Rome, August 26 - Scientists in New Zealand have confirmed what many Italians already knew: mozzarella is the best cheese for pizza.

Other types of cheese, such as cheddar, colby, edam, emmental, gruyere and provolone do not produce as good a result as mozzarella, according to research published in the Journal of Food Science.

According to researchers at the University of Auckland, mozzarella is not only delicious, but also melts perfectly and can be matched with virtually any other type of seasoning on a pizza.

The researchers reached their conclusions after studying the composition and consistency of the various cheeses and analyzed the dairy products' performance when cooked at the temperatures of a good pizza oven.

Only mozzarella had the optimal oil and water content to produce the right elasticity, colour and texture when cooked.

