An exploratory application of a plant-based rennet from Cynara cardunculus in the production of a long-ripened, hard, cooked sheep’s milk cheese

Lai, Giacomo;Pes, Massimo;Piga, Carlo;Caredda, Marco;Fiori, Myriam;Furesi, Stefano;Caboni, Pierluigi

Penultimo

Membro del Collaboration Group

;Addis, Margherita

2026-01-01

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Abstract

Several plant-based milk coagulants, such as those extracted from Cynara cardunculus, are available as alternatives to animal-derived rennet for cheese production. The increasing use of plant-derived rennet substitutes requires an assessment of their performance on different types of cheese, information that is often lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a commercial rennet derived from C. cardunculus, compared to calf rennet, used as a control, on the quality of a long-ripened, hard, cooked sheep's milk cheese. The control and experimental cheeses, produced in three cheesemaking trials, were sampled 1 day after production and at 12 and 18 months of ripening and assessed for their physico-chemical, textural, and sensory characteristics. No significant differences were observed in the features of the produced cheeses, in relation to the coagulant used. Notably, despite the long ripening period, in this type of cheesemaking technology, C. cardunculus rennet did not result in higher levels of proteolysis, softer texture or increased bitterness, features often associated with this type of plant-based coagulant. The outcomes of the present study may be of interest to the dairy industry for the selection of alternative milk-clotting agents in the production of specific sheep's milk cheese categories.