Microbes, Mealworms and Seaweed Could Inform the Future of Cheese

What makes a good mozzarella? It has to be flavorful. It should become gooey and stringy when melted. It needs to perfectly balance an acidic tomato sauce. But does it have to be made from animal dairy? The cheese innovators over at New Culture would say no. Their first product, a mozzarella cheese created with casein protein made through precision fermentation—that is to say, not from a cow—is launching in Nancy Silverton’s Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles in 2024. Silverton and Pizzeria Mozza have received numerous accolades over the years, including the 2014 James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Chef.