Milk Clotting and Proteolytic Activity of Auricularia Auricula Fungus and Its Potential in the Production of Feta Cheese

Introduction: This study’s objective was to evaluate the Auricularia auricula fungus as a coagulant of bovine milk and its potential in feta cheese production. The Auricularia auricula fungus displays high levels of milk-clotting activity, presumably due to clotting proteolytic enzymes. Methods: Feta cheese was manufactured from bovine milk, coagulated with Auricularia auricula and the proteolytic properties of the fungus were determined. Results: on polyacrylamide gel, substrates in the presence of the fungus showed higher proteolysis activity than control samples. In comparison, cheeses made with bovine rennet had more distinct protein bands than those produced with fungi. An initial evaluation of the cheese’s flavor indicated a lack of bitterness and yielded positive results. Conclusion: Due to its properties and availability, the Auricularia auricula fungus might be a suitable candidate for replacing calf rennet. More research is needed to evaluate its use as a coagulant in large-scale cheese production in the future.