A process is disclosed, by which protein can be removed easily and
efficiently from natural rubber latex so that deproteinized natural rubber
latex can be produced with high productivity and low cost. Particularly, a
process for the production of deproteinized natural rubber latex is
disclosed, which comprises treating natural rubber latex with a
proteolytic enzyme and a surfactant to decompose protein in natural rubber
latex, washing the treated natural rubber latex in the presence of a salt.
According to the process, deproteinized natural rubber latex useful as a
counter-allergy material having stable qualities can be produced easily
with high productivity and low cost.