Green Curdling Operational Group: Vegetable Rennet Cheese Project. Production of organic enzymatic plant extracts for sheep cheese production.

The expected results are:

• Plant extracts with coagulating capacity to produce cheeses.
• Vegetable-renneted sheep cheeses. New lactose-free dairy products (sheep's milk and sheep's cheeses) produced by lactose fermentation by lactic acid bacteria.
• New dairy products: cheese and fermented products from whey. Characterization of sheep cheeses made with different rennets and lactose-free, and at various ripening times.
• Definition of the production process for new lactose-free dairy products (sheep's milk and sheep's cheeses), by fermentation of lactose by lactic acid bacteria.
• Definition of the production process for new dairy products: cheese and fermented products from cheese whey.
• Product characterization in new dairy products: cheese and fermented products from cheese whey. Identification of consumer groups for the developed products.
• Expand the range of products available for consumers with lactose intolerance or who follow a "lactovegetarian" diet.
• Promotion of entrepreneurship in rural areas.
• Changing consumer attitudes: By developing healthy products, the perception of traditional dairy products (especially cheese) improves and increases purchasing intentions.
• Main practical recommendations: Demonstration that cooperation activities with research centers can be useful in improving the competitiveness of agri-food companies, including micro-SMEs.
• Understand that entrepreneurship can be useful for maintaining rural areas and a vital outlet for young people.
• Understanding that collaboration between different stakeholders in the agri-food sector and R&D centers is a useful tool for improving its competitiveness. Improving relationships between different stakeholders in the rural world.
• Furthermore, established relationships can be the basis for future innovation projects.