Biocatalysts enzyme taps into new and growing Halal/Kosher cheese market
The new mixed lipase enzyme - Lipomod 957MDP – is a mixed lipase with protease activity and no amylase activity, is clean label and suitable for vegetarian, Halal and Kosher cheese products.
The product was especially developed to replace animal pancreatin in enzyme-modified cheese applications, Aelig Robin, dairy scientist in the NPD team at Biocatalysts, said.
“People are moving away from animal-derived enzymes and kosher and halal status is becoming more important,” Robin told FoodNavigator.com.
Halal and Kosher cheeses are a relatively new dairy market segment, and this new product will enable manufacturers to tap into the opportunities within this sector, he said.
Flavour focus
Developing successful non-animal derived enzyme replacers is very much down to its flavour profile, and Biocatalysts has been working on matching flavour profiles of animal-derived enzymes for some time, Robin said.
By studying the fatty acids that are released by the microbial enzymes and using sensory analysis, the specific flavours created by animal-derived counterparts can be identified and then matched, he said.
Lipomod has been in development for two years, Robin said, and has a similar flavour profile to the porcine pancreatin that it is replacing; with strong fatty acid notes and sweet and sulphur undertones.
Innovation necessary in the cheese sector
Professor Paul Ross, head of the Teagasc Food Programme, speaking at a symposium in Cork, Ireland last year, said that innovation and invention is important in the cheese sector, considering the size this sector represents in the wider dairy industry.
“Cheese represents a major and growing part of our dairy industry. Indeed, 30% of whole milk is utilised for cheese making and €500m worth of cheese was produced in 2010,” Ross noted.
The symposium, organised by University College Cork and Teagasc, concluded that enzyme technology may be one way of driving the industry forward.
According to Global Industry Analysts (GIA) data, the enzyme industry is surging and it is set to hit 2.6m tonnes globally by 2017. Of the global enzymes market, the US and Europe capture the largest share at 55%.
