Certified Cheese Professional 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Rennet is the enzyme specifically responsible for digesting milk protein during cheese making. It contains chymosin, which coagulates the milk by curdling the casein proteins. This process is essential for transforming liquid milk into a solid curd, which is the foundation for making cheese. Rennet helps to initiate the curd formation by breaking down the caseins, allowing the proteins to bind together and form a gel-like structure. This step is crucial in cheese production, as it allows for the separation of whey from the curds, which is a key part of obtaining the desired texture and flavor in the final cheese product.

In contrast, amylase is an enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates, specifically starches, into sugars, and is not involved in the breakdown of milk proteins. Lactase is an enzyme that digests lactose, the sugar found in milk, which helps lactose-intolerant individuals process dairy products but does not play a role in cheese making. Protease is a broader term for enzymes that break down proteins, but in the context of cheese making, rennet is the primary and most effective enzyme used.