Question

Describe the coagulation of milk in the digestive system.

Answer 1

Milk coagulation in the digestive system:

1. Milk after reaching the stomach, is acted upon by the proteolytic enzyme pepsin.
2. Pepsin hydrolyzes the milk protein, Soluble casein into insoluble paracasein which precipitates as calcium paracaseinate to form semi-solid curd.
3. This is known as coagulation of milk.
4. Rennin promotes the coagulation process in the stomach of infants.
5. Rennin is also known as chymosin.
6. It is a proteolytic enzyme that is synthesized by chief cells in the stomach.
7. Its role in digestion is to coagulate milk in the stomach of infants.
8. It is not present in adults.
9. Rennin coagulates the milk protein.