Accelerated ripening of Cheddar cheese with the aminopeptidase ofBrevibacterium linensand a commercial neutral proteinase

Abstract

SummaryPartly purified extracellular aminopeptidase fromBrevibacterium linenswas used to accelerate Cheddar cheese ripening. It was found that although the aminopeptidase was unstable in acidic buffer, it was highly stable in Cheddar cheese; negligible amounts of the enzyme activity were lost during 3 months' maturation. A better score for flavour in sensory analysis of enzyme-treated cheese was obtained by the combination of the aminopeptidase and a commercially available metalloproteinase (Neutrase) than by the metalloproteinase alone.