Question

Lipase is employed during cheese preparation for
A. Increased life of cheese
B. Flavoring cheese
C. Removal of fat from cheese
D. Both A and B

Answer 1

Hint: Lipase is an enzyme that catalyses the formation or cleavage of fat ( lipid) (hydrolysis). Lipase is important for the absorption, transportation and processing of dietary lipids such as oils, fats and triglycerides and is present in most, if not all, living organisms.

Complete Answer:
In the sense of cheese production, lipase is one of the several enzymes found in raw milk. The enzymes bind to and break down the liquid's fat globes, which then allows the fatty acids to be released.

In turn, the release of those fatty acids produces the typical (and desired) aroma, texture and sharp taste in most Italian cheeses, as well as some Feta and Blue Cheeses. Overall, the lipase enzyme increases the cheese 's flavour.

Unfortunately, lipase enzymes are typically destroyed during the handling and processing of commercial milk, especially if it is pasteurised. This makes it more difficult to obtain the sharp taste, so that Lipase can be added back into the milk to reintroduce those enzymes and their normal work.

You may still need to add Lipase even with raw milk, as the enzymes may be influenced and decreased by the health and diet of the animal from which they are taken. When milk fats are hydrolyzed, the flavour comes from the free fatty acids made. Animal lipases are obtained from infants, calves and lambs, while microbial lipases are obtained through fermentation with the Mucor miehei fungal organisms.

While cheese-making microbial lipases are available, they are less precise about what fats they hydrolyze, whereas animal enzymes are more partial to fats of short and medium lengths. It is preferred to hydrolyse the shorter fats because it results in the desirable taste of several kinds of cheese. Hydrolysis of fatty acids from the longer chain will result in either soapiness or no taste at all.

The correct Answer is option (B) Flavoring cheese.

Note: Lipases are ubiquitous enzymes present in mammals, plants, bacteria and fungi. Microbial lipase played an important role than animal and plant lipase because of the substrate specificity and a number of different enzymatic properties, such as large sources, short period, wide pH, wide temperature range, Lipases, including hydrolysis, esterification, transesterification, and ester chiral synthesis, are used in enzymatic theoretical research and practical application.