Fresh cheese production using freeze-dried papain as a vegetable coagulant

• Autores: Villacréz Chavez, Grégor, Grimaldo Chávez, Segundo, Rivera Botonares, Ralph, Vilca Valqui, Nuri Carito, Zzuta Puscan, Marileydi, Oliva, Manuel, Tineo, Daniel
• Formato: artículo
• Fecha de Publicación: 2024
• Institución: Instituto Nacional de Innovación Agraria
• Repositorio: INIA-Institucional
• Lenguaje: inglés
• OAI Identifier: oai:repositorio.inia.gob.pe:20.500.12955/2739
• Enlace del recurso: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12955/2739; https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-6723.00624
• Nivel de acceso: acceso abierto
• Materia: Enzyme; Freeze-dried papain; Fresh cheese; Vegetable coagulant; Cheese production; Papain.; https://purl.org/pe-repo/ocde/ford#4.00.00; Queso fresco; Coagulantes; Papaína; Enzimas; Liofilización; Coagulación

The study examined the efficacy of freeze-dried papain enzyme obtained from three Vasconcellea species (V. pubescens, V. chachapoyensis, V. heilbornii) as a natural coagulant in cheese making. Notably, the enzyme V. pubescens demonstrated the most promising results when concentrations of 2 g/L, 4 g/L, and 6 g/L were used to produce fresh cheese, while other enzyme species exhibited lower efficacy. The optimal yield of fresh cheese with minimal residual enzyme was achieved when a 2 g/L dose of papain enzyme was employed at a coagulation temperature of 30 °C, resulting in physicochemical and organoleptic characteristics comparable to those produced with commercial Hansen's rennet. Nevertheless, an increase in the coagulation temperature (42 °C) and a higher dose of papain enzyme (4 g/L) resulted in a reduction in the yield of fresh cheese and; consequently, the residual enzyme increased. Further studies are required to determine the purity of freeze-dried papain and the most effective dosage to increase profitability for producers and consumers. Such findings could facilitate the ecological application of this alternative in producing of fresh cheese.