EXTRACTION OF CAMEL RENNET AND ITS COMPARISON WITH CALF RENNET EXTRACT

Camel rennet was extracted from camel calf abomasa by the method used for bovine rennet. The clotting activity was determined during extract ion and activation. Both camel and cow abomasa extracts were fractione d and the clotting activity of the fractions compared. Camel rennet co agulated camel milk slightly faster than cow milk, while calf rennet e xtract coagulated camel milk less readily than cow milk. The chymosin fraction of calf rennet showed weak activity on camel milk while the p epsin fraction coagulated the same much more readily than cow milk. Th e first fraction of camel rennet coagulated cow and camel milk equally well, where as the second fraction showed higher clotting activity wi th camel milk. It is concluded that the coagulation of camel milk by c alf rennet is primarily due to the pepsin content of the calf rennet. The reported large variations in the ability of bovine rennet in coagu lating camel milk can be explained by the differing pepsin content of the rennet used. Camel milk should therefore be coagulated with camel rennet or pepsin.