Improved industrial enzymes in unlimited quantity |
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Traditionally, rennet is obtained from the stomach of suckling calves. However, while the worldwide demand for cheese is increasing, the number of suckling calves available for slaughter is declining. To overcome potential supply problems, the company DSM Food Specialties (former Gist-brocades b.v.) cloned and expressed the gene coding for calve stomach chymosin in an industrial strain of Kluyveromyces lactis. This yeast is an established producer of food enzymes which are Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) (photo of production fermentor). The recombinant chymosin is identical to the natural counterpart and the product has a much higher purity than traditional calve's rennet. In addition, it is a kosher and vegetarian product. The major advantage is that supply problems have come to an end.