Curd containing slurry compositions for making soft or firm/semi-hard ripened and unripened cheese

This invention describes a way to make pasta filata cheese, like mozzarella, using a special liquid mixture called a slurry. The slurry is made from cheese curd and has non-fat dry milk blended into it, along with specific amounts of lactose and optionally starch. This mixture is then processed, often by intense mixing or homogenization, to create a cheese with tailored characteristics.