chymosin
Definition
Noun: 1. An enzyme found in gastric juice: Chymosin is a specific enzyme produced in the stomach, primarily in young mammals. 2. A substance that causes milk coagulation: Its primary biological function is to curdle or coagulate milk, which is a crucial step in digestion and in the cheesemaking process.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Chymosin is essential for the digestion of milk in infants.
- Traditional cheesemaking often relies on chymosin to form curds.
- Scientists study the properties of chymosin to improve food production techniques.
Advanced Usage
- Technical/Industrial Context: In biotechnology, chymosin produced by microbial fermentation is widely used as a vegetarian rennet substitute in the dairy industry.
- Most commercial cheese is now made using fermentation-produced chymosin.
Variants and Related Words
- Rennin: This is a former common name for chymosin. While "rennin" is still used, "chymosin" is the more precise, modern scientific term.
- Rennet: A complex substance containing chymosin (and other enzymes like pepsin) used to coagulate milk. Chymosin is the key active enzyme in traditional animal rennet.
Synonyms
- Rennin (archaic/alternative term)
- Milk-clotting enzyme (descriptive synonym)
Related Phrases/Compounds
- Chymosin enzyme: A redundant but sometimes used phrase emphasizing its nature as an enzyme.
- Microbial chymosin: Refers to chymosin produced by genetically modified microorganisms for use in food processing.
Noun
-
an enzyme that occurs in gastric juice; causes milk to coagulate
