A Swedish research team from SLU, Linnaeus University and Örebro University has developed a new method to produce cheese-making enzymes in plants.

The study focused on cyprosin B, a milk-coagulating enzyme traditionally extracted from cardoon flowers and used for centuries in Portuguese cheeses such as Serra da Estrela. Instead of harvesting plants in the wild, the researchers engineered the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana (photo) to produce the enzyme in its leaves. Yields reached an impressive 81 milligrams per kilo, surpassing many conventional methods.

By identifying how specific protein regions control the enzyme’s function and placement inside the plant, the team showed that plants can serve as efficient “green factories” for industrial enzymes.

• This paves the way for more sustainable cheese production without relying on animal-based ingredients, said lead author Saraladevi Muthusamy.

The innovation combines ancient cheesemaking traditions with cutting-edge plant science, potentially reducing dependence on animal rennet and resource-intensive methods. Beyond dairy, researchers suggest such plant-based biofactories could also be engineered to produce compounds for crop protection, further strengthening sustainable agriculture.

Learn more about the research project HERE, including a link to the scientific article

Photo: Charles Andres, CC BY-SA 3