Plant-Based Cheese Enzymes for Dairy Alternative Production

Plant-based cheese production presents unique challenges in achieving the texture, mouthfeel, and functional properties of traditional dairy cheese. Our specialized enzyme solutions address these challenges by enhancing protein functionality and improving product characteristics.

With the growing interest in non-dairy products for a more sustainable food supply, consumer interest in plant-based cheese is also rising. While regular dairy cheese is generally considered a good source of protein and calcium, plant-based cheese often contains very little protein and is high in carbohydrates. The addition of protein to plant-based cheese significantly reduces its extensibility, heat melting, and gelatinizing capacity resulting in a brittle, unappealing product.

Our enzymes improve the texture and mouthfeel of plant-based cheese by modifying plant proteins to create the desired consistency and stretchability. These texture-enhancing enzymes help achieve the authentic cheese experience consumers expect.

Specialized protein-modifying enzymes that enhance the nutritional profile and functional properties of plant-based cheese products. These enzymes help achieve higher protein content and improved amino acid profiles.

Enzymes that enhance the melting properties and heat solubility of plant-based cheese, making them suitable for cooking and baking applications. These solutions enable plant-based cheese to perform like traditional cheese in culinary applications.

Our enzyme solutions support a wide range of plant-based cheese applications across multiple product categories. For soft cheese alternatives, our enzymes enhance cream cheese, ricotta, and spreadable varieties by improving texture and protein functionality. In hard cheese alternatives such as cheddar, gouda, and aged cheese varieties, our solutions provide the structural integrity and flavor development needed for authentic cheese characteristics. Our specialized enzymes for mozzarella alternatives create the stretchy, meltable properties essential for pizza and cooking applications. Additionally, we support specialty cheese production, enabling manufacturers to develop artisanal and gourmet plant-based cheese products with superior quality and performance.

Nutrition Facts per 100g¹⁾²⁾

Our enzymes not only improve texture and functionality but also enhance the nutritional profile of plant-based cheese products. By optimizing protein structure and bioavailability, these enzymes help create more nutritious dairy alternatives.

Texture is a major challenge for high-protein plant-based cheeses, leading to difficulties in processing and resulting in a product with a brittle, unappealing texture.  CheeseMax PB, developed with Amano Enzyme’s technology, solves all these problems, and helps develop plant-based cheese with high protein content, extensibility, and heat-melting ability.

Our plant-based cheese enzyme solutions deliver comprehensive benefits that address the key challenges in dairy alternative production. These enzymes provide improved texture through enhanced mouthfeel and consistency, creating products that closely mimic traditional cheese characteristics. The solutions offer better stretchability with authentic cheese-like stretching properties that consumers expect from quality cheese products. Enhanced melting capabilities ensure superior heat solubility for cooking applications, making plant-based cheese suitable for pizza, grilled sandwiches, and baking. Nutritional optimization is achieved through improved protein content and quality, helping manufacturers create more nutritious dairy alternatives. Additionally, our natural enzyme solutions support clean label formulations, enabling manufacturers to maintain clean ingredient lists while achieving superior product performance.

1) Nutrients 2022, 14, 1247.
2)U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central. Cheddar Cheese. April 1, 2019