New applications of rennet mixtures in cheesemaking

Abstract

As the result of laboratory tests we suggested rennet mixtures containing chicken pepsin (CP), Mucor mienei rennet (MM) in ratio of milk clotting activity 50/50 or 60/40, chicken, bovine (BP) and swine (SP) pepsin in ratio 50/30/20. These mixtures were assessed for Edam type cheese production on the plant scalp. The result obtained were compared with cheesemaking experiments with other mixtures of rennet without chicken pepsin as well as with sole coagulant. During these comparative experiments were used mixtures of MM and SP 50/50, MM, BP and SP in ratio 40/40/20 or sole coagulants i.e., commercial chymosine rennet (CH), chymosine rennet obtained by fistulating suckling calves and MM rennet. Some differences could be detected in consistency of the experimental cheese made with CP in rennet mixtures. The softer body of these cheese and changes in rigidity, elasticity and viscosity rather diminished with time of cheese maturation. The ratio of soluole and aminoacid nitrogen to the total nitrogen in experimental cheese is related to the type of rennets used. Especialy those cheese produced with rennet mixtures containing CP showed higher ratios both of soluble and aminoacid nitrogen. Cheese made with rennet mixtures composed by CP showed also slightly more pronounced flavour when compared with control cheese and resemoled more matured cheese.