Ras cheese making with vegetable coagulant - a comparison with calf rennet.

Ras cheeses were manufactured using aqueous extract of globe artichoke or artichoke flowers (Cynara scolymus) proteinase as coagulant were compared to calf rennet. There were slight differences between chemical composition of cheese made using vegetable coagulants or calf rennet. Cheeses manufactured with artichoke extract as coagulant exhibited higher (p < 0.05) levels of water soluble nitrogen, water soluble nitrogen coefficient, total volatile fatty acids and free amino acid content than cheese made with calf rennet. The extent of breakdown of - casein as measured by (Urea- PAGE), was greater in cheese made using artichoke extracts s1 as coagulant than in cheese made using calf rennet. Whereas, - casein were less susceptible to proteolysis than - casein. The most acceptable cheese were cheese made with 1.2 g/ L stigmas of artichoke flower as s coagulant characterized as clean - sharp ideal flavour and firm - smooth body & texture followed by cheese made with 1.4g/ L stigmas of artichoke flower as coagulant after 2 months of ripening. It could be concluded that artichoke flower extract (Cynara scolymus) is suitable substitute for calf rennet for Ras cheese manufacture and the ripening period of cheese can be reduced to 1-2 months. So, this would reduce the costs of cheese production.