Kamil Perry
Cheese is a beloved food product enjoyed by many, but it may come as a surprise that not all cheese is vegetarian-friendly. The presence of rennet, an ingredient in cheese that is often animal-based, makes some cheese varieties unsuitable for vegetarians. Rennet is an enzyme found in the lining of a cow or goat's stomach, and it plays a crucial role in the coagulation process during cheese-making. While some cheese recipes may use acids like vinegar or lemon juice instead of rennet, many popular cheeses still rely on animal rennet. This is particularly true for traditional European cheeses, where geographical indicators legally protect the use of traditional production methods, including the use of animal rennet. However, it's worth noting that the cheese industry is gradually shifting towards vegetarian rennet, and consumers now have more vegetarian cheese options than ever before.
Characteristics and values of cheese made with animal rennet:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Rennet | Animal-based |
| Examples of Cheese | Cheddar, Swiss cheese |
| Region | Europe, US |
| Vegetarian-friendly | No |
| Alternative Rennet Types | Vegetable, Microbial, GMO |
| Ingredient List Terms | Vegetarian enzymes, Vegetable rennet, Non-animal enzymes |
| Non-animal Rennet Cheeses | Queso fresco, Cream cheese |
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What You'll Learn
- Animal rennet is a byproduct of the meat industry
- Rennet is an enzyme found in the lining of a cow or goat's stomach
- Most cheese in the US is made from GMO rennet
- Some European cheeses are protected by geographical indicators that preserve the use of animal rennet
- Alternatives to animal rennet include vegetable rennet, microbial rennet, and fermentation-produced chymotrypsin
Animal rennet is a byproduct of the meat industry
Animal rennet is a complex set of enzymes produced in the stomachs of ruminant mammals. It is used in cheese-making to separate milk into solid curds and liquid whey. The key component of animal rennet is chymosin, a protease enzyme that curdles the casein in milk. In addition to chymosin, animal rennet contains other enzymes such as pepsin and lipase.
Animal rennet is derived from the inner mucosa of the fourth stomach chamber (the abomasum) of young, nursing calves as part of livestock butchering. These stomachs are a byproduct of veal production. The dried and cleaned stomachs of young calves are sliced into small pieces and then soaked in salt water or whey, along with vinegar or wine, to lower the pH of the solution. After soaking, the solution is filtered, and the crude animal rennet that remains can be used to coagulate milk for cheese-making.
The use of animal rennet in cheese-making has a long history, dating back to at least Roman times. However, in recent times, there has been a shift towards vegetarian and non-animal rennet alternatives due to ethical concerns, particularly among vegetarians and vegans. Some cheese manufacturers have switched to using vegetable-based rennet to cater to vegetarian consumers, but many still prefer animal rennet for its superior functionality and impact on the taste and texture of the cheese.
Despite the move towards vegetarian rennet, animal rennet remains prevalent in many traditional European cheeses, such as Parmigiano Reggiano and Gorgonzola, due to geographical indicators and long-standing cheesemaking traditions. In the United States, less than 5% of cheese is made using animal rennet, with most cheese now made using chymosin derived from bacterial sources.
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Rennet is an enzyme found in the lining of a cow or goat's stomach
Cheese can be categorised into two types: acid or rennet coagulated cheese. Animal rennet is often used in the coagulation process for cheeses such as cheddar and Swiss cheese. Rennet contains chymosin, an enzyme that is used in curd making. "GMO rennet" is usually pure chymosin, produced using genetically modified organisms (generally GMO fungi).
Some cheese-making recipes do not require rennet, and acids like vinegar or lemon juice can be used instead. However, many cheese manufacturers still prefer to use animal rennet, and some even fail to include this in the list of ingredients. This lack of transparency can make it difficult for vegetarians and vegans to avoid cheese made with animal rennet.
In recent years, there has been a shift towards using vegetarian rennet in cheese-making. This is developed using an enzyme found in some plants, such as artichoke flowers and fig leaves, which performs a similar function to animal rennet. This shift is partly due to the increasing demand for vegetarian options, as well as the desire to use more parts of the animal in the meat industry.
While it may be surprising to learn that not all cheese is vegetarian, there are now many vegetarian cheese options available, and it is relatively easy to find them if you know what to look for.
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Most cheese in the US is made from GMO rennet
Rennet is an enzyme that is found in the lining of a cow or goat's stomach and is added to milk to assist in the coagulation process, which is an essential part of making cheese. Traditionally, rennet is obtained from the fourth stomach lining of an unweaned calf. However, in 1982, Genentech earned approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the medical use of insulin produced by genetically modified microbes, which also showed that GMOs could be a substitute for animals in the production of pure proteins.
In the late 1980s, scientists figured out how to transfer a single gene from bovine cells that code for chymosin into microbes, giving microbes the ability to produce chymosin. These microbes are allowed to multiply and are then cultivated in a fermentation process while they produce and release chymosin into the culture liquid. The chymosin can then be separated and purified. This process is a form of bioengineering that produces a genetically modified organism (GMO).
In 1990, the FDA approved Pfizer's GMO-derived chymosin for human consumption, stating that it was identical to the chymosin found in animal rennet. This type of chymosin is called fermentation-produced chymosin (FPC). FPC is considered more pure than calf rennet as it does not contain other proteins from the calf stomach lining. Ninety percent of the cheese in the United States is made using FPC, and it has been considered the ideal milk-clotting enzyme for the past two decades.
Some people who put effort into avoiding GMOs in their food have expressed concern about the presence of GMOs in rennet. However, others argue that GMOs are safe to consume and that the use of FPC is beneficial as it does not involve the slaughter of calves.
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Some European cheeses are protected by geographical indicators that preserve the use of animal rennet
Although vegetarian rennet is far more prevalent in dairy than it once was, animal rennet is still present in many cheeses. This is especially true of European cheeses, which often have geographical indicators that preserve the use of animal rennet.
Geographical indicators legally protect traditional methods of production for certain products and ensure that they are made in the region of their origin. If a product with a geographical indicator isn't made in the prescribed way or doesn't come from the prescribed region, it can't carry the name of that product. Many of the EU's geographical indicators are on cheeses.
Because these cheeses have traditionally used animal rennet, the geographical indicators sometimes prevent them from making the switch to vegetarian. According to Alexander Anton, secretary general of the European Dairy Association, "Quite some of our European GI and hence quality excellence cheeses require the use of animal rennet, since this is the traditional way of cheesemaking – in this case, 100% of the relevant cheese production is done with animal rennet."
Animal rennet is considered by some to be superior to its vegetable-based alternatives in terms of functionality and taste. It contains an enzyme called chymosin that comes from the animal's stomach lining. Its purpose is to coagulate the milk to curd so that it becomes cheese. However, its use in cheese also presents an obstacle to vegetarians, who would prefer to eat dairy products that do not contain parts of an animal.
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Alternatives to animal rennet include vegetable rennet, microbial rennet, and fermentation-produced chymotrypsin
Animal rennet is derived from the stomach lining of ruminant mammals, such as calves and goats. It is a key ingredient in the traditional cheesemaking process, where it is used to coagulate milk and separate the curds from the whey. However, as animal rennet is derived from animal organs, it is not suitable for vegetarians, prompting the development of alternative forms of rennet.
Vegetable rennet is one such alternative and is derived from plants, fungi, and other organic materials. Examples of plants with coagulating properties include fig juice, nettles, thistles, and mallow. Some traditional cheesemakers in the Mediterranean use enzymes from thistle or Cynara (artichokes and cardoons). Cashel Blue and Ardrahan are examples of Irish cheeses that use vegetable rennet.
Microbial rennet is another alternative to animal rennet and is produced by microorganisms such as fungi, yeast, or mould. Microbial rennet is considered suitable for vegetarians, as well as those keeping kosher or halal. Microbial rennet has improved greatly over the years due to the characterization and purification of secondary enzymes, allowing cheesemakers to produce high-quality cheeses with this alternative form of rennet. Ruggles Hill Creamery in Massachusetts is an example of a cheesemaker that employs an organic, microbial rennet.
Fermentation-produced chymosin (FPC) is another alternative to animal rennet and is derived from genetically modified bacteria, fungi, or yeast. FPC is identical to animal-produced chymosin but is produced in a more efficient way. FPC has been used in cheesemaking since 1990 and is commercially viable due to its standardized quantity per unit of milk. FPC is also suitable for vegetarians if no animal-based products were used during its production.
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Frequently asked questions
Rennet is an enzyme that is found in the lining of a cow or goat's stomach. It is added to milk to assist in the coagulation process, which is used in cheese-making.
Animal rennet is prevalent in many European cheeses, especially those with geographical indicators that preserve the traditional methods of production. In the UK, most cheeses do not contain animal rennet, but some traditionally made farmhouse cheeses do. Examples of cheeses that use animal rennet include Cheddar and Swiss cheese.
Yes, there are now vegetarian alternatives to animal rennet, which is developed using an enzyme found in some plants, such as artichoke flowers and fig leaves. This alternative is widely used in cheese production today.
