Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO by the Giffoniello dairy is a fresh pasta filata cheese made exclusively with Italian Mediterranean buffalo milk in the Piana del Sele (Salerno), the historic core of the designation. Porcelain-white, with a thin rind and a milky heart, it comes in 200 g balls, with minimum fat of 52% on dry matter, in a 2 kg net drained carton (10 pieces). EAN 8023074000426.
What Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO is
Mozzarella belongs to the pasta filata family and is documented in monastic records of the Piana del Sele and the Volturno as early as the 12th century; the term mozzare, the gesture of pinching off each piece from the spun cord, was already described in 1570 by Bartolomeo Scappi. The buffalo version is protected by the PDO designation (EC Reg. 1107/96): only Italian Mediterranean buffalo milk, natural whey starter and spinning in boiling water, with no preservatives, thickeners or milk powder. The PDO mark and the red CE health stamp are mandatory.
Origin and territory
This mozzarella is born in the Piana del Sele, in the province of Salerno, one of the historic provinces of the designation together with Caserta, Naples and the lower Lazio. The buffaloes, Bubalus bubalis of the Italian Mediterranean breed, found in the Campania wetlands their ideal habitat: this is the reason why only Campania, lower Lazio, part of Puglia and Molise hold the PDO right.
The producer: Caseificio Giffoniello
Caseificio Giffoniello has produced dairy specialities since 1985 in the Piana del Sele, near Battipaglia (Salerno). The dairy selects milk daily from a network of local breeders following strict quality and sustainability protocols, and is certified IFS Food and BRCGS Food Safety, the international food-safety standards. The GIFF range includes buffalo mozzarella, fiordilatte, burrata and stracciatella.
Sensory profile
The crust is thin and smooth, the colour porcelain white. At the cut a fresh milk spume should emerge: in the words of chef Gennaro Esposito of Torre del Saracino, buffalo mozzarella is alive and the governing water must burst in the mouth. The flavour is delicate, lactic and slightly sour, with the typical aroma of buffalo milk.
Professional uses
Caprese served at 16-18 C with Pachino tomato, basil and Cilento EVO oil, as Alfonso Iaccarino teaches, who calls a fridge-cold caprese a mortal sin. Daily antipasti and gourmet boards with San Daniele PDO raw ham. Gourmet pizza with the mozzarella added after baking, never put in the oven above 280-300 C because it releases too much whey and wets the base. Stuffed pasta and au-gratin dishes only off the high heat. Dose: 100-125 g per antipasto portion, 80 g for a round pizza.
Common mistakes to avoid
Serving it straight from the fridge flattens its aromatic profile. Cutting it in advance oxidises it and makes it lose water. Using it in the oven like fiordilatte above 300 C gives a wet base. Cut it with a serrated blade or break it by hand, never with a smooth blade.
Storage and shelf life
Keep refrigerated at maximum +7 C in its governing liquid; do not freeze, as the fresh structure breaks. Once opened, consume within a couple of days. Bring it to 16-18 C about 20-30 minutes before serving for full aroma.
Delivery and logistics
B2B and B2C refrigerated delivery throughout Switzerland from the LAPA warehouse in Embrach (Zurich). Cold chain at 2-4 C guaranteed by the LAPA fleet across Zurich, Winterthur, Aargau, St. Gallen, Lucerne, Zug, Bern and Basel. For Ticino (Lugano, Bellinzona, Locarno), French-speaking Switzerland (Geneva, Lausanne, Vevey, Sion), Valais and mountain regions (Davos, St. Moritz, Chur) delivery within 24-48 hours via certified food-grade couriers (Swiss Post Frigo-Express, Planzer, Galliker, Camion Transport). Service tailored for restaurants, pizzerias, gelato shops, pastry labs, hotels, delicatessens, Italian grocery stores and private customers passionate about Italian cuisine.
Who it is for
Dedicated to Italian restaurants, gourmet and Neapolitan STG pizzerias, hotels, delicatessens and pastry labs that want a certified PDO buffalo mozzarella with a guaranteed supply chain, plus private customers looking for the authentic taste of Campania.
