The Intracellular Proteinases of Certain Organisms from Cheese and their Relationship to the Proteinases in Cheese

In cheese ripening the breakdown of casein represents one of the most important changes. This breakdown has been attributed at one time or another to the natural proteinase in milk, to the proteinases in rennet, or to protelnases of microbial origin. In recent years new evidence has been presented to direct attention to the microbial proteinases. In studying the proteinases of cheddar cheese, Peterson et al. (10) found that the initial enzyme content was relatively low but it increased steadily as the cheese ripened. This increase could be produced only by microorganisms growing during the ripening period.