Chicken Pepsin and Rennet Gels: Internal Bonds, Rheology and Microstructure

Pepsin is a proteinase, mainly used in food industries. Porcine, ovine, bovine, poultry and aquatic species are its principal sources. In Algeria, coagulant enzymeutilisation relies on importation. However, the increase in its poultry farming from 220 000 tons in 2008 to 300 000 tons in 2011 and the increase in its milk production from 1.5 billion (109) litres in 2008 to 2 billion litres on 2012 as related by the Food and Agricultural Organisation were a sufficient and a good encouragement to recover and find ways of using chicken pepsin locally in milk coagulation. 

Thus, costs of proteinases importation will be reduced. Algerian investors interested in producing this enzyme may contribute to the development of the poultry industry. For this aim, a comparison with the rennet as thereference milk coagulant is necessary to reassure investors of the chicken pepsin feasibility as a coagulant agent. This research objective is the exploitation and assessment of the chicken pepsin properties for its use in the coagulation milk as a rennet substitute.