Authors : Imen Fguiri, Amel Sboui, Naziha Ayeb, Manel Ziadi, Meriem Guemri, Samira Arroum, Mohamed Dbara and Touhami Khorchani
Abstract: This research aimed to prospect latex fractions from Ficus carica for new plant peptidases with milk-clotting activities of camel milk, for use as rennet alternatives. Latex fractions, extracted from the fig tree (Ficus carica), show proteolytic and milk-clotting activity. The enzymatic preparation was obtained by fractionation of latex from fig tree by FPLC; having a proteolytic activity of 23491.24 IU L–1. After manufacturing process, Ficus carica latex protease with the ability to coagulate milk can be used as alternatives to commercial animal chymosin in the cheese manufacturing process. The cheese yield is determined at different enzymes doses and it was found that 1mL of the enzyme extract in 100 mL of camel milk gives a yield of 15%. The physicochemical and microbiological characterization of camel milk cheese compared to cow milk cheese showed that camel milk cheese was more acidic, richer in protein (50.04 g L–1) but less loaded with total mesophilic flora.
Imen Fguiri, Amel Sboui, Naziha Ayeb, Manel Ziadi, Meriem Guemri, Samira Arroum, Mohamed Dbara and Touhami Khorchani, 2020. Camel Milk-Clotting Properties of Latex Protease from Ficus carica. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 19: 99-106.