Published in Scientific Bulletin. Series F. Biotechnologies, Vol. XXV, Issue 1
Written by Sorin NITU, Mihaela GEICU-CRISTEA, Florentina MATEI
The paper aimed to present a review of plant proteases used as milk coagulants in cheesemaking. Plant proteases have been used as milk-clotting enzymes since ancient times. These milk-clotting enzymes are starting to become an alternative to the calf rennet. Due to a high price of the calf rennet and a very limited availability, religious restrictions or lacto-vegetarian diet, milk-clotting enzymes obtained from plants are the subject of extensive research. They are present in a various plants and can be obtained from all plant parts: root, stem, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds. Most research has shown that plant milk-clotting enzymes belong to aspartic proteases but have been reported also enzymes from serine proteases and cysteine proteases with this activity as well. Plant proteases with milk-clotting activity have been researched in terms of coagulation activity and proteolytic activity. Most plant milk- clotting enzymes develop an excessive proteolytic activity leading to lower yields of cheese, defects of texture and bitter flavours. The research will continue in order to meet the increasing global demand for a good and diversified cheese production.
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