Production of coagulants for cheese production in globe artichoke (<i>Cynara scolymus</i> L.) cell suspension cultures

This study was conducted to investigate alternative plant-based milk clotting enzyme sources needed by the food industry. With this objective, a protocol for the <i>in vitro</i> production of artichoke flower pistil cell suspension cultures was developed. Throughout their culture periods, suspension culture cells were subjected to the elicitors, jasmonic acid and galactose, as well as the viscosity agent carboxymethyl cellulose. Specific concentrations of the elicitor substances, including 1 and 5 µM jasmonic acid and 0.4% carboxymethyl cellulose, were found to be very effective both on cell growth kinetics and proteolytic activities. Suspension culture extracts succeeded in the production of milk clots, which possessed similar properties to microbial enzyme and artichoke flower extract produced milk clots, although they exhibited different caseinolytic banding patterns and proteolytic activities. The results showed that, <i>in vitro</i> grown artichoke pistil cells can be used as an alternative and continuous source of proteases in food industry.