Raspberry smoothie
Drinking yogurt cultures ensure a smooth texture is achieved within the timeframe required by industrial fermentation processes.

The enzymatic advantage

Enzymes traditionally have been used for flavor development and coagulation in cheese, but today, enzymes are used throughout the dairy category.

“Because of the specific functionalities they add to the product, enzymes are a valuable tool in optimizing manufacturing plant processes and meeting various consumer demands,” said Klaus Haslinger, sales director America’s for DSM Food Specialties.

For example, the Enzyme Development Corp., New York, offers a milk-clotting enzyme derived from the flower of the thistle plant, Cynera cardunculus. The enzyme is considered as Generally Recognized As Safe and may be used in the manufacture of specialty cheeses, primarily from goat and sheep milk, and the production of enzyme modified cheese flavors. It has promise for casein modification as well.

“This protease is different from other clotting enzyme preparations as it is a true ‘vegetarian rennet’ and it continues to work after the cheese has been set,” said Peter Moodie, president. “This enzyme is unique to the preparation of Portuguese and Spanish cheeses, such as Serra da Estrela. This new enzyme will allow researchers to produce different tastes and textures, allowing for innovation in the cheese flavor category.”

The transglutaminase enzyme is used in multiple applications in the dairy industry, including cheese, sour cream and yogurt, as well as whey modification for the ingredients industry.

“Transglutaminase is a natural enzyme that crosslinks glutamine and lysine amino acids in the milk protein structure, thereby allowing binding and firmness to develop,” said David Scoville, manager of enzyme application, Ajinomoto North America Inc., Itasca, Ill. “The amount of cross-linking can be varied by changing the time the enzyme has to work on the protein, the pH of the milk solution or the temperature.”

In cultured dairy foods, cross-linking may positively enhance mouthfeel, texture and viscosity.

“It reduces syneresis, which improves yields and reduces waste,” Mr. Scoville said. “In cheese products, transglutaminase can be used to manipulate melt characteristics.”

Lactases have a long history in the development of lactose-free dairy, enabling lactose-intolerant consumers to enjoy dairy with peace of mind. In recent years, lactase enzyme has found a new use.

“Increasing concerns about sugar intake have fueled consumer interest in low and natural sugar dairy products,” Mr. Haslinger said. “As sugar reduction remains a global focus in the food and drink industry, manufacturers are increasingly looking for methods and ingredients to carve their share in this growing market, and this is where enzymes can play a role.”

An innovative approach to reducing added sugars is to manipulate the inherent lactose, which is a relatively non-sweet disaccharide. Its sweetness index is 16, with sucrose being 100. When lactose is broken down by lactase enzyme into its constituent monosaccharides, glucose and galactose, its sweetness is increased approximately three-fold.

“Enzymes are an unlimited, cost-stable resource, which can be a real advantage for dairy producers,” Mr. Haslinger said. “Milk prices are likely to increase or decrease, according to the market, whereas enzyme costs remain stable. By using the natural sweetness present in lactose, artificial sweeteners can be reduced, which makes the production process more sustainable.”

Using patented technology, DSM developed a lactase enzyme that is free of invertase, as well as arylsulfatase, which is an impurity in many lactase preparations.

“The lactase enzyme boosts sweetness levels in dairy, while reducing sugar addition in flavored milk or sugared dairy without compromising on taste,” Mr. Haslinger said. “Alongside its clean taste and consistent performance throughout shelf-life, the high-quality lactase enzyme can be easily integrated in the production process.”

Continued advancements in technology will enable scientists to identify and isolate cultures and enzymes with highly specific functionalities. In doing so, they enable dairy foods formulators to improve processes, increase efficiencies and develop new products.