The preparation and assessment of a suitableMucor pusillusLindt proteinase–swine pepsin mixture for Cheddar cheese-making

Abstract

Summary: A simple test procedure was used to predict the most suitable mixture of Noury rennet (Mucor pusillusLindt proteinase) and swine pepsin for Cheddar cheesemaking. Duplicate cheeses were made with 6 Noury rennet–swine pepsin mixtures and with each enzyme alone, with calf rennet as the control. There were slight differences in the course of the cheese-making process and in the yields of the cheeses. Sensory evaluation showed that the most acceptable cheeses were those made by coagulant mixtures closely similar to the predicted mixture and these were as acceptable as cheeses made with calf rennet. The survival rates of different groups of bacteria were similar in all cheeses. There were differences in the products of proteolysis in the various cheeses throughout ripening, particularly with respect to products derived from α_s1-casein. The Noury rennet was characterized for the proportion of milk clotting activity associated with each of 4 components and its stability in solution was determined.