The Plant-Based Enzymes Used in Coagulation of Milk for Cheese Production

Abstract

Dairy products have a quite important for the food industry. Cheese, which has more than a thousand varieties, takes it in the first place among dairy products. Coagulation of milk is the most important step in cheese production. A considerable part of the cheese produced in the world is obtained as a result of coagulation of milk with enzymes. The rennets used to provide milk coagulation in cheese production can be obtained from different animal, plant-based and microbial sources. Coagulant enzymes obtained from different sources are called rennet obtained from animal sources. The increase in the amount of cheese production also increases the need for rennet. Due to reasons such as increasing cheese production and consumption around the world, difficult calf rennet supply (expensive and scarce), religious reasons, prohibition of rennet obtained from recombinant calf rennet in some countries, vegetarian preferences of consumers, some diseases that can be transmitted from animals, attitudes towards genetically modified foods have led to the need for alternative coagulants in cheese production. This situation has led to studies on the production of alternative coagulant enzymes of microbial, plant-based and recombinant origin that can be used instead of calf rennet. Enzymes obtained from different parts of plants (such as roots, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds and fruits) by different extraction methods can be used to coagulate milk. Although coagulant enzymes of plant-based origin are used in the production of traditional cheese varieties in many different countries, they are not used in general areas due to their high proteolytic activities, degradation in coagulum qualities, decrease in yield, and negative effects on sensory properties such as bitter taste formation. In this review, the most commonly used plant-based enzymes used in coagulation of cheese milk and their effects on the final product properties are mentioned.