Patent ID: 6416796
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: A23C,A23J

Abstract:
A method of making a cheese composition that contains a whey protein digestion product, the method comprising the steps of:(i) providing a first composition comprising whey protein; (ii) contacting the first composition with a non-rennet protease and incubating at a temperature of about 20 to about 70Â° C. for about 10 to about 300 minutes to provide a casein-complexing whey protein digestion product, wherein the casein-complexing whey protein digestion product is not heat-denatured; (iii) contacting the digestion product with a second composition comprising casein micelles to provide a complex of the digestion product and the casein micelles; and (iv) renneting the complex; thereby providing the cheese composition that comprises whey protein digestion products and that further comprises casein degradation products, wherein the non-rennet protease is a microbial protease that is the bacterial protease isolated from Bacillus licheniformis that is a serine protease specific for glutamic acid and aspartic acid residues having an apparent molecular weight of about 23,600 Da.