Quality Analysis of Fresh Cheese Prepared Using Wrightia tinctoria Proteases

Background: Aqueous leaf extract of Wrightia tinctoria has been in use for artisanal cheese preparation in diverse parts of India. Scientific validation behind the milk clotting potential of W. tinctoria stem proteases purified through three-phase partitioning (TPP) has been attempted. However, its contribution to cheese quality standards has not been tried yet. Objective: To evaluate the suitability of three-phase partitioned W. tinctoria (WT) stem proteases in fresh cheese making. Methods: Fresh cheese was prepared using W. tinctoria TPP proteases and its characteristics were compared with that of commercial plant milk coagulant, Enzeco® (CEz) and rennin (CRn). Yield, organoleptic and textural properties, total fat, protein and moisture content of all cheese were determined according to FSSAI standards. Toxicity of the TPP proteases was assessed on the shrimp model (Artemia salina egg and Litopenaeus vannamei post-larval shrimps). Results: TPP proteases were found to be non-toxic and safe for human consumption with no change in egg hatchability and survival of the shrimps in comparison to that of control. Cheese analysis results indicated perceptible resemblance in nutritional characteristics of WT cheese with control cheese. Yield, textural properties and organoleptic acceptance of WT cheese resembled more closely with that of CEz cheese. Conclusion: Observation from the study paves the way for the acceptance of W. tinctoria proteases as a suitable vegetable rennet for fresh cheese making.