Frederic Melton
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, also known as Kraft Mac & Cheese, is a popular processed cheese product first introduced in 1937. Despite its iconic status, the product has faced scrutiny for its use of enzymes derived from animal sources, specifically calves, goats, and sheep. These enzymes, known as rennet, are obtained from the stomachs and intestines of young mammals and are essential for converting milk into cheese. While Kraft has stated that it is exploring alternatives, the presence of animal-derived enzymes currently renders the product non-vegetarian. Additionally, concerns have been raised over the presence of potentially harmful chemicals, such as phthalates, in the product's powdered cheese mix.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Enzymes | Rennet, an enzyme that clots or curdles milk |
| Enzyme sources | Animal (calves, goats, and sheep) and microbial |
| Rennet sources | Stomachs of young mammals like calves, goats, and sheep |
| Other ingredients | Citric acid, sodium phosphate, phthalates |
| Alternatives | Vegetarian and vegan options available from Annie's, Daiya, Gardein, Follow Your Heart, Amy's Organics, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
Kraft Mac & Cheese is not vegetarian
Kraft Mac & Cheese is a popular food item, especially for working parents and college students, and is often regarded as a comfort food. However, despite being a seemingly vegetarian product, Kraft Mac & Cheese is not vegetarian.
The enzymes used to make the cheese powder in Kraft Mac & Cheese are derived from both animal and microbial sources. The animal sources include calves, goats, and sheep. Rennet, a substance used in cheese-making, is obtained from the stomachs of these animals, specifically young mammals, and contains rennin, an enzyme that clots or curdles milk. This process of converting milk into cheese is dependent on coagulating milk through the use of enzymes.
Kraft has clarified that when microbial rennet is used, it will be labelled as such. The company has also stated that it is looking into new ways of processing cheese products that would eliminate the need for enzymes derived from animal sources.
For vegetarians, there are vegetarian and vegan boxed macaroni and cheese alternatives available in the market, such as Annie's brand macaroni and cheese, which explicitly states the use of "non-animal enzymes" on its ingredient list. Other vegan options include Daiya, Gardein, and Follow Your Heart.
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Rennet is used to curdle milk
Rennet is a complex set of enzymes produced in the stomachs of ruminant mammals. It is a mixture containing chymosin, pepsin, and lipase. Rennet is used in cheese-making to coagulate or curdle milk, separating it into solid curds and liquid whey. This process is essential in the production of cheese, as it extends the shelf life of milk.
The enzymes in rennet cause milk proteins to clump together, trapping fat and other solids, forming a solid coagulum or curd. Rennet is obtained from the stomachs of young mammals, such as calves, goats, and sheep, that are still nursing. The process involves slicing and cleaning the dried stomachs before placing them in salt water or whey with vinegar or wine to lower the solution's pH. After some time, the solution is filtered, and the crude rennet that remains can coagulate milk.
Kraft, the largest cheese company in America, uses enzymes from both microbial and animal sources. Their Macaroni & Cheese contains enzymes derived from calves and sheep, specifically rennet obtained from the stomachs of these young mammals. This product is not suitable for vegetarians due to the use of animal-derived rennet.
Kraft's use of enzymes is often vaguely labelled as 'enzymes' on their boxes, leaving consumers in doubt. However, the company has clarified that when microbial rennet is used, it will be labelled as such. Kraft Natural Swiss and Kraft Grated Parmesan utilize microbial rennet, which does not contain enzymes extracted from animal tissue.
With the growing demand for vegetarian and vegan options, cheese makers have sought alternatives to animal rennet. Vegetable and plant rennet have been used in some cultures, and genetic engineering has also led to the development of recombinant chymosin produced by bacteria, fungi, or yeast during fermentation. These alternatives provide commercially viable and preferred options for industrial production.
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Rennet is derived from animal stomachs
Rennet is a complex set of enzymes produced in the stomachs of ruminant mammals. It contains rennin, an enzyme that clots or curdles milk, and is used in cheese-making to coagulate milk and separate it into solid curds and liquid whey. Rennet has traditionally been obtained from the stomach lining, or mucosa, of the abomasum, which is one of the four chambers in a ruminant's stomach. The enzymes are only found in the stomachs of young animals that are still drinking milk.
The traditional method of harvesting rennet involves cleaning and drying the stomach, dicing it into small pieces, and then soaking them in a solution of salt water or whey, sometimes with added vinegar or wine to lower the pH. After leaving the solution to sit for a few days, it is then filtered, and the remaining crude rennet can be used to coagulate milk.
However, this traditional method has largely been replaced by a more modern process. In this process, the stomachs are deep-frozen, turned into powder, and then placed in a special solution with added acid to activate the enzymes. The acid is then neutralized.
Due to the limited availability of mammalian stomachs for rennet production, cheese makers have sought alternative ways to coagulate milk since Roman times. Today, most cheese is made using chymosin derived from bacterial sources, as it is less expensive and more commercially viable than animal rennet. Fermentation-produced chymosin (FPC) is identical to animal-produced chymosin but is produced in a more efficient way. FPC has been on the market since 1990 and is widely used in industrial cheesemaking in North America and Europe.
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Kraft purchases enzymes from suppliers
Kraft, the largest cheese company in America, purchases enzymes from suppliers for its various cheese products. The company has stated that the enzymes used in its cheese products are derived from both microbial and animal sources.
The enzymes used in Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, for instance, are derived from calves and sheep, specifically from the animals' stomachs and intestines. These animal-derived enzymes are used to convert milk into cheese by coagulating, or curdling, the milk.
On the other hand, Kraft Natural Swiss and Kraft Grated Parmesan utilize microbial rennet, which is not made with enzymes extracted from animal tissue. These cheeses may, however, contain lipase, an enzyme that can be derived from animal sources.
Kraft imported Danish cheeses may use either calf rennet or microbial enzymes, and can be identified by their "Product of Denmark" label and "pie slice" shape.
Kraft has emphasized that consumers can find detailed ingredient information for specific products on the product boxes. However, the boxes often simply state 'enzymes', leaving some consumers unsure of the specific enzyme sources. To address this, Kraft has clarified that when microbial rennet is used, it will be explicitly labelled as such.
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Kraft cheese powder contains enzymes
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese is made with powdered cheese sauce mix, which is produced by blending cheese with other ingredients to create a sauce, and then removing the moisture from the sauce using a food dehydrator. This process turns the sauce into a dry powder.
Kraft has stated that when the word 'enzymes' appears on a label, it can refer to both animal-derived and microbial-derived enzymes. The company has also clarified that when microbial rennet is used, it will be labelled as 'microbial rennet'. Kraft Macaroni & Cheese contains enzymes derived from animals, specifically calves and sheep, found in the animals' stomachs and intestines.
Kraft has responded to consumer demand for more natural ingredients by removing artificial dyes, flavors, and preservatives from its products, including Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. The company is also looking into new ways of processing cheese products that would eliminate the need for enzymes derived from animal sources.
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Frequently asked questions
Enzymes are substances that contain rennin, which clots or curdles milk.
Yes, enzymes are used in Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
The enzymes in Kraft Macaroni and Cheese are derived from animal sources, specifically calves, goats, and sheep.
Yes, Kraft Natural Swiss and Kraft Grated Parmesan utilize microbial rennet, which is not made with enzymes extracted from animal tissue.
Enzymes derived from animals are used in the process of converting milk into cheese by coagulating or curdling the milk.
