Artichoke cv. Francés flower extract as a rennet substitute: effect on textural, microstructural, microbiological, antioxidant properties, and sensory acceptance of miniature cheeses

COLOMBO, MARÍA LAURA; CIMINO, CECILIA VERÓNICA; BRUNO, MARIELA ANAHÍ; HUGO, AYELEN; LIGGIERI, CONSTANZA; FERNÁNDEZ, AGUSTINA; VAIRO?CAVALLI, SANDRA

JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

Año: 2020

0022-5142

BACKGROUNDThe most common milk-clotting enzymes in the cheese industry are recombinant chymosins. Foodnaturalness is a factor underpinning consumers´ food choice. For consumers that avoid food withGMO-derived ingredients, the use of vegetable-based rennet substitute in the cheese formulationmay be a suitable solution. Artichokes that deviate from optimal products, when allowed to bloomdue to flower protease composition, are excellent as raw material for vegetable rennet preparation.As enzymatic milk-clotting exerts a significant impact on the characteristics of the final product,this product should be carefully studied.RESULTSMature flowers from unharvested artichokes (Cynara scolymus cv. Francés) that did not meetaesthetic standards for commercialization were collected and used to prepare a flower extract. Thisextract as coagulant preparation enabled the manufacture of cheeses with distinctive characteristicscompared with cheeses prepared with chymosin. Rennet substitution did not affect actual yield butled to significant changes in dry matter yield, humidity, water activity, protein content, and colorand conferred antioxidant activity to the cheeses. The rennet substitution promoted significantmodifications in springiness, and in the microstructure of the cheese with a more porous proteinmatrix and an increment in the size of the fat globules. Both formulations showed a similarmicrobiota evolution pattern with excellent microbiological quality and a good sensory acceptance.CONCLUSIONSThe studied rennet substitute produced a cheese adapted to specific market segments that demandmore natural and healthier products made with a commitment to the environment but well acceptedby a general cheese consumer.