Extraction of Milk Clotting Enzyme from Sodom Apple (Calotropis procera)

A milk clotting enzyme with low proteolytic activity was extracted with ammonium sulfate, at 0.40‐0.65 saturation, from sodom apple leaves. The enzyme with apparently a basic isoelectric point was activated by cysteine and was more active at 65°C than at 35°C. Milk clotting activity increased with pH at 65°C, with the enzyme being almost twice as active at pH 6.4 as at pH 5.4‐5.7. Storage at 4°C for 15 days resulted in a 30‐50% loss in enzyme activity.