Potential antioxidant activity and physical of cottage cheese using bromelain enzyme pineapple [Ananas comusus] as a natural coagulant

Abstract

The proteolytic enzyme bromelain, which can aid in hydrolyzing proteins into amino acids, is found in pineapple fruit. The bromelain enzyme can also aid in the coagulation of milk, which makes it useful in the cottage cheese-making process. The numerous phenolic compounds and flavonoids found in pineapple fruit serve as a source of antioxidants. Antioxidants function by scavenging free radicals. This study used the pineapple fruit's bromelain enzyme as a natural coagulant to ascertain the cottage cheese's physical characteristics and antioxidant activity. Each treatment (K1 = 0%, K2 = 3%, K3 = 4%, and K4 = 5%) was repeated four times as part of the research methodology. The outcomes demonstrated that the bromelain enzyme's inclusion had a very substantial impact [p≤ 0.01] on the cottage cheese's physical characteristics and antioxidant activity. The results of the study concluded that bromelain concentrations up to 5% produced good antioxidant activity and physical properties of cottage cheese with a very significant difference P≤0.01. This indicated that the bromelain enzyme from pineapple extract could be used as a cheap substitute for rennet in making cheese.