Abstract

Lampung Province is a producer of canned pineapple in Indonesia. Waste from the pineapple canning process, in the form of cobs and skins, is used as a powdered bromelain enzyme. Bromelain enzyme is thought to have the same function as rennet in the cheese-making process. This study aimed to determine the effect of using bromelain enzyme from Ananas comosus on the physical quality (curd yield, hardness, and adhesiveness) and chemical quality (protein, fat, and moisture content) of cottage cheese. The study was conducted using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four treatment groups (0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, and 0.8% bromelain enzyme concentrations), each replicated five times. Results indicated that a bromelain concentration of 0.6% yielded the highest curd and cheese hardness, while a concentration of 0.7% produced the highest fat content and strongest adhesiveness. Additionally, a concentration of 0.8% resulted in the highest protein content, reducing the water content in the cheese. These findings suggest that bromelain enzyme concentrations between 0.6% and 0.8% are suitable for cheese production.