Provided in the present disclosure are a milk coagulant, a method for obtaining asclepain of Asclepias Linn. and cysteine protease B of Calotropis R. Br., as well as a method of producing cheese. The milk coagulant includes at least one of the asclepain of Asclepias Linn. and the cysteine protease B of Calotropis R. Br.

The present invention provides a process for the preparation of a cheese, the process comprising the steps of (i) providing milk; (ii) acidifying the milk, where the mild is acidified with carbon dioxide to a pH of 6.2 to 6.6 when measured at a temperature of 29 to 38 C. to provide an acidified milk; (iii) inoculating the acidified milk with a starter culture, wherein the inoculation is a direct vat inoculation, to provide an inoculated acidified milk and making the cheese therefrom; wherein the inoculated acidified milk contains a coagulant, wherein the coagulant comprises at least a microbial protease coagulating agent.

The invention relates to aspartic proteases, and particularly to aspartic proteases for plants. Disclosed are modified plant aspartic proteases, and methods for their manufacture, and uses thereof. Particularly contemplated are the uses of aspartic proteases in clotting milk.