Here's What Scientists Discovered When They Conducted A Rigorous Study Of Pizza Cheese

Nobody can ever seem to agree on which pizza is the best, so a team of scientists decided to call in an unbiased pizza-evaluation algorithm to determine how to compose a winning pie.

While a fair assessment of pizza quality — a pressing concern in certain food circles — would require considering everything from crust char to sauce flavor, the scientists kicked off what will hopefully be an ongoing project by zeroing in one highly important aspect of any pie: the cheese. (This was actually a collaboration with Fonterra, a multinational dairy cooperative with a clear interest in the study's results.)How can a pizzaiolo select a cheese that will brown and blister perfectly? Is mozzarella really best? Teasing out the science of pizza cheese is no small matter."Pizza browning and blistering seems like a totally trivial question," study coauthor Bryony James, PhD, a materials engineer at the University of Auckland, admits in a video about the study. "You stuff your pizza in the oven, and it's clearly going to brown and blister."But there's a lot of complexity underlying what seems like a relatively simple process. The cheese itself is a complex material, and the way it ends up looking and tasting is, in part, a reaction to every other ingredient in the pizza and the way each of them transforms under high heat.The fact that two pizzas rarely come out looking the same may be celebrated by pizza purists, but it presents a difficult problem for pizza manufacturers, who may want to provide a consistent experience or offer custom options for picky eaters. "Consumers like pizza to look a certain way," says James, who goes on to describe what is probably her ideal pie. "It should have discrete patches of that toasty cheese color," she says, "and a uniform golden brown background."

The Experiment

In order to do a thorough investigation of the properties required to best achieve such results, the scientists included a wide range of cheeses — not just mozzarella, which is

clearly the gold standard, but also cheddar, Colby, Edam, Emmental, Gruyere, and provolone.

They sprinkled each cheese on top of a pizza base in exacting amounts, and decided against using sauce so they wouldn't have to worry about an additional variable. Then each pie was baked for the same amount of time.

Some researchers may have opted to call in a panel of tasters to evaluate each pie. But humans can be fickle — not to mention expensive. So the team opted to do a machine-vision analysis of the pies instead, relying on a machine that took careful pictures and then made sense of them, using specially developed algorithms that could quantify the color and uniformity of each pizza.

The team also assessed each cheese for meltability and elasticity as well as oil and water activity.

What They Found

Turns out mozzarella is king of the pizza cheeses for a reason: "its unique stretchability," the authors, led by Xixiu Ma, conclude. It also produces high levels of bubble-making steam and low levels of free-flowing oil, which is why those bubbles brown up so nicely. But for those willing to mix it up a bit, the study revealed some interesting things.

Adding oily cheeses like Gruyere or provolone will make the pizza less burnt-looking, while sprinkling on some Colby cheese will facilitate a more uniform appearance.

Here are the photos of each cheese pizza, as well as the machine-vision analysis of its uniformity and color — mozzarella clearly produces the most varied, exciting-looking pie:

The image below shows how the different cheeses browned very differently (and that's not mold — the browned areas are outlined in green):

At the end of all this — which served as an example of the capabilities of machine-vision, not just an analysis of cheese — the authors offered this conclusion: "Different cheeses can be employed on 'gourmet' style pizzas in combination with Mozzarella."You heard the scientists, pizzaiolos of the world: Go wild.But for best results, don't forget to include a generous sprinkling of mozzarella.The paper, "Quantification of Pizza Baking Properties of Different Cheeses, and Their Correlation with Cheese Functionality," was published in the August 2014 issue of The Journal of Food Science

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SOMALIA TAKES KENYA TO U.N. COURT IN OIL RIGHTS ROW

Somalia filed a suit against Kenya at the U.N.'s highest court, seeking to resolve a long-running dispute over lucrative oil reserves in the Indian Ocean.

Somalia asked the International Court of Justice in The Hague to determine the maritime boundary between the coastal nations, which disagree about the rights for exploration and collect revenue from oil discoveries.

Somalia asked the court to intervene, saying "diplomatic negotiations, in which their respective views have been fully exchanged, have failed to resolve this disagreement," a statement issued by the court early Friday said.

Somalia has said the row risks deterring multinational oil companies from exploring for oil and gas offshore east Africa.

Kenya recently identified eight new offshore exploration blocks available for licensing, and all but one of them are located in the contested area.

The row could threaten exploration rights that Kenya has granted to oil and gas companies, which have already started exploring in the area.

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High seas tragedies leave more than 300 dead on the Mediterranean in past week

More than 300 people have died while trying to make irregular sea crossings from North Africa to Europe in the past week, bringing the death toll this year from sinking vesels on the Mediterranean to almost 1,900, including some 1,600 since June.

"The past few days have been the deadliest this year on the Mediterranean for people making irregular crossings to Europe, with at least three vessels having overturned or sunk," UNHCR's senior spokesperson, Melissa Fleming, told journalists in Geneva.

She said the first and largest of these incidents occurred last Friday when a boat, reportedly carrying at least 270 people, capsized near Garibouli to the east of the Libyan capital, Tripoli. Nineteen people survived, but the Libyan coastguard has recovered the bodies of 100 others, including five young children and seven women. The remaining 251 passengers are feared drowned.

Citing reports from survivors, Fleming said "the boat was packed full and more people were pushed on board before they departed. According to the accounts, the boat suddenly flipped, trapping the people on the lower deck." The Libyan coastguard has asked for help in the search and rescue operation and to recover bodies.

In a second incident on Saturday evening, the Italian Navy rescued 73 people and recovered 18 bodies from a damaged rubber dinghy 20 miles from Libyan territorial waters. UNHCR's Fleming said 10 people were still missing and feared drowned.

The passengers were mainly from Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and Sudan. The dinghy was already partially deflated when spotted by an Italian search and rescue aircraft and life rafts were dropped to people struggling in the water.

In a third incident, on Sunday evening, a fishing boat carrying about 400 people capsized north of the Libyan coast in bad weather. The Italian Navy and coastguard, in a joint operation with a nearby merchant ship, rescued 364 people. So far, 24 bodies have been recovered and more are feared dead. The exact number of missing is not yet confirmed.

The main departure country for Europe is Libya, where the worsening security situation has fostered the growth of people smuggling operations, but also encouraged refugees and migrants to risk the sea journey rather than remain in a conflict zone.

"UNHCR's Tripoli office receives daily calls from refugees, asylum-seekers and other vulnerable people expressing fear for their lives and making desperate requests for food, water, medicine and relocation. Those who choose to leave for Italy are taking longer and riskier journeys through new ports of departure such as Benghazi [in eastern Libya]," Fleming said.

She noted that many of those risking their lives at sea to reach Europe were refugees fleeing conflict, violence and persecution. "This dramatic situation at Europe's sea borders demands urgent and concerted European action, including strengthened search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean, ensuring that rescue measures are safe and incur minimum risks for those being rescued," she added.

"UNHCR commends the life-saving Mare Nostrum (Our Sea) operation the Italian Navy and coastguard is conducting that has saved thousands of lives. As more refugees and migrants risk their lives at sea to reach Europe, mostly Eritreans, Syrians, and Somalis, urgent action is needed," Fleming stressed.

The UN refugee agency believes that it is of vital importance that survivors of these tragedies, who often have lost family and friends, be given immediate access to psychological support once they are disembarked. UNHCR has also called for procedures to be put in place to allow for identification of the bodies recovered at sea, providing quick and clear information so that families are not subjected to unnecessary additional suffering.

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Soldiers harassed us in Garissa, say two MPs from Northern Kenya

COMPLAINANT: Garissa womens rep Shukran Gure outside the Garissa police station after recording a statement on alleged harassment by millitary officers on Saturday.

TWO MPs from Northern Kenya on Saturday recorded statements at the Garissa police station over claims they were harassed by military officers manning the Madogo road-block, four kilometres from Garissa town.

Abdullahi Diriye (Wajir South) and Garissa women’s representative Shukran Gure were reportedly stopped by the officers for checking. A source said a heated argument ensued between the officers and the MPs, who said the inspection was done in an “uncivilised manner”.

Addressing the press outside the police station after recording a statement, the MPs promised to take up the matter with higher authorities. “Since when did military officers start manning our roadblocks? This is a complete violation of the Traffic Act. How can they subject us to such humiliation and harassment?” Gure said.

“As much as we support efforts to improve our security, we will not be subjected to harassment and humiliation by the officers.” Gure said the fact that Northern Kenya is a security zone should not be reason enough for the military officers to harass residents.

“If MPs can be subjected to such harassment, what about the people we represent? The government should tell us if we are second class citizens,” Diriye said.

They said their bags and other personal effects were thrown to the ground by the officers during the inspection. During the argument, an officer is alleged to have threatened to shoot the MPs and then turn the gun on himself if they continued arguing.

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FRESH INTER-CLAN FIGHTING IN MANDERA AS ONE PERSON DEAD, DOZENS INJURED

Mandera, Kenya: At least one person was killed and dozens wounded in fresh inter-clan fighting in Rhamu district, Mandera North Constituency. The fighting pitied Degodia and Garre clans and has displaced tens of locals who have sought refuge at government buildings. Mandera senator Billow Kerrow said the fighting started Friday night when armed men attacked the town and injured three people. “Last night (Saturday), they attacked a truck entering the town and killed one person, injuring three others,” Kerrow said. He added the fighting continued for the better part of Sunday leaving several wounded and others displaced. “This morning, they started a heavy artillery attack from three sides on the town from 6 am, and is still going on.” Locals who called the newsroom said there was heavy gunfight between the two sides amid fears of high casualties. Police stayed at a distance as the fighting intensified between the two clans. The officers said they were yet to access the affected areas to check on the casualties.

Kerrow condemned the attacks and called on the national government to contain the situation. He said a week ago, an attempt to attack Banissa town by the same bandits was thwarted with some casualties. He also blamed the government for the situation and demanded that it contains it. “The government is aware that these attacks are committed by one side against another, in an attempt to escalate the longstanding political conflict between the Degodia and Garre clans,” he said. He demanded that the government takes immediate actions to end the fighting that has caused many casualties.

The army, General Service Unit, Rapid Deployment Unit, police and APs are based in town; yet artillery fire is going on in the town. It is inconceivable that they are unable to contain the situation.” The perennial conflicts between the Garre and Degodia clans of Mandera and Wajir counties have been attributed to political and historical border disputes. Some 75,000 people have been left homeless and scores killed, according to Kenya Red Cross Society following the recent attacks. Early in 2013 over 70 people were killed, tens maimed and tens of thousands displaced from the comfort of their homes, after a fighting pitting the two communities started in Mandera county and later spilled over to the neighboring Wajir county and lasted for six months before amicably peace deal was signed. The fighting keep erupting after a brief lull with either side accusing the other of flouting the agreed deal.

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TURKEY SENDS FLOATING POWER STATION TO GAZA TO PROVIDE VITAL ELECTRICITY AFTER ISRAEL DESTROYED THE ONLY PLANT.

Turkey plans to send a floating power station to Gaza to provide vital electricity to the troubled region.

Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said that the electricity generating vessel would be sent as soon as Gaza’s port facilities had been upgraded.

Yildiz met this week Palestinian Energy Minister Omar Kittaneh and afterwards told a press conference in Ankara: “The Palestinians have contacted the Israelis concerning the dispatching of the platform and there has been no adverse reaction from the Israeli side.”

The floating power plant will be provided by Turkish company Karadeniz Holding, which is the only shipbuilder in the world to make such vessels, which can operate both on liquid fuels as well as natural gas.

Karadeniz – which also operates traditional power plants in Turkey – has five operational power ships and another eight under construction, which will bring the total capacity of the fleet to around 2000 MW.

Gaza regularly suffers blackouts and its only power plant is routinely switched off for weeks at a time because of fuel shortages.

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Cesc Fabregas: Arsenal's Arsene Wenger says he has no regrets

 

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has no regrets over his decision not to re-sign Cesc Fabregas this summer.

Spain midfielder Fabregas, 27, made an impressive Premier League debut for London rivals Chelsea as they won 3-1 at Burnley on Monday.

Arsenal had a buy-back option on Fabregas, who left for Barcelona in 2011, but decided not to exercise it.

"I have no regret about that at all. My regret is that he left," said Wenger, whose side play Everton this weekend.

Fabregas, who played 305 games for the Gunners, eventually joined Chelsea on a five-year deal, ending his three-year stay at Barca.

The midfielder played a part in all three goals against Burnley and Wenger admitted it was "strange" to see his former player in the blue of Chelsea.

"It was difficult for him to leave us, but after that you accept he can move to some different clubs," he added.

Wenger believes Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey, 23, is more than filling the void left by Fabregas.

"What is good in life is that someone moves out and someone else takes over and he has developed," he said. "He is younger than Cesc and the potential is there to get more out of him."

Wenger added that Ramsey's dismissal during Tuesday's 0-0 draw at Besiktas and an ankle injury suffered by captain Mikel Arteta in the same game had left him considering a move for a defensive midfielder.

Wenger admits he does not know how long Arteta will be sidelined, adding: "He had a scan on Wednesday afternoon. I haven't got the result... I don't know how long he will be out for. We will be a bit short, of course.

"If it is a long-term injury, that puts us in a position where we have to be creative.

"We are open as well to any opportunity, until the end of the transfer window, who can strengthen our defensive department in quality and number."

Arsenal expect to be boosted this weekend by the return of their trio of German World Cup winners, Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski and Mesut Ozil.

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EXCLUSIVE: AMISOM COMMAND IN KISMAYO OFFICIALLY TAKEN FROM KDF

In an unannounced move by the African Union the AMISOM command in Kismayo has officially been transferred from the Kenyan Defense Forces to Sierra Leonean forces a few weeks ago, as a top Somali government official confirmed to reporter.
The government official, who requested that his name not be disclosed, stated that the decision to transfer the AMISOM command in the seaport town of Kismayo from the Kenyan forces to the Sierra Leonean forces came after the Somali government requested so from the African Union, after accusing the Kenyan forces of violating Somalia’s sovereignty.
“The African Union accepted the request by the Somali government to remove the Kenyan forces from the AMISOM command in Kismayo, I can confirm that the command has been handed to Sierra Leonean troops” the government official told a our reporter . “The Somali government filed a complaint to the AU in regards to the Kenyan forces after involving themselves in several violations, including preventing senior government officials such as ministers and MPs from accessing Kismayo without any right, whilst detaining some of them at the airport for days. The Kenyan forces were also involved in taking sides of certain clans during conflicts in the city, and have further been involved facilitating the illegal trade of charcoal from Kismayo’s seaport, which was banned by the  UN and Somali government” he further stated.
The move by the African Union is believed to have angered leaders in the Jubba interim administration, including Ahmed Mohamed Islam “Madobe”, a former Islamist leader turned KDF ally, who visited the Somali capital several times to meet with government officials and members of the international community to convince them to prevent this decision. However, his efforts were futile as the African Union decided in favor the Somali government’s request.
The Kenyan Defense Forces invaded southern Somalia in late 2011 and moved on to take southern seaport town of Kismayo in 2012 along with a host of other towns, before it joined the AMISOM in that same year. Ever since there has been a friction between Mogadishu and Nairobi on how Kismayo would be administered and by whom, with the Somali government at times openly accusing the Kenyan forces of fulfilling their own agendas alongside illegal activities without the consent of the Somali government.

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