Are There Any Cheeses that Do Not Contain
Rennet

From LoveToKnow Vegetarian

Vegetarians who want to include dairy products in their diets will often ask, are there any cheeses that do not contain rennet? Since rennet is derived most commonly from the stomachs of calves and is a necessary ingredient in cheese making, vegetarians are right to be concerned about its inclusion in their cheeses.

About Rennet

Rennet is a combination of enzymes that a calf or other young mammal uses in order to digest its mother's milk. Rennet for cheese making is usually harvested from the stomach lining of young calves after slaughter, though rennet from other animals such as pigs or goats can also be used.

The main enzyme in rennet that is responsible for coagulating milk and beginning the transformation into cheese is called chymosin, or rennin. Chymosin is responsible for separating the milk into curds, which are solid, and whey, which is liquid.

Vegetarians Wonder Are There Any Cheeses that Do Not Contain Rennet

Since rennet is a byproduct of veal production and must be harvested from a slaughtered animal, vegetarians won't eat cheeses which contain the enzyme. Cheese is an excellent source of calcium and protein, however, so vegetarians are often left wondering are there any cheeses that do not contain rennet.

The good news is that there are several sources of non-animal rennet that can be used in vegetarian cheese, so vegetarians can have their cheese and eat it, too!

Other Sources of Rennet

Animal-based rennet is expensive, so cheese makers have been searching for other forms of rennin for a long time. Fortunately, there are three other ways to obtain the enzyme.

Vegetable Rennet

Several sources of plant-based rennet are perfectly suitable to make cheese. Some of these plant sources include:

Fig leaves or bark
Melon
Safflower
Wild thistle
Stinging nettle
Mallow

Microbial Rennet

Soft cheeses can be made using rennet that has been derived from bacteria. The bacteria itself is created and fermented under controlled conditions, to ensure that the mold is "clean" and safe for human consumption.

Genetically Modified or Engineered Rennet

Genetically engineered rennet is made by combining bacteria or yeast with the calf genes that contain rennin. Once the initial rennet is made, it can be genetically modified and bio-engineered so that no further animal products are needed to continue reproduction.

This type of rennet is safe for vegetarians as long as there is no further animal-based rennet used during the cheese making process.

Rennetless Cheese

Some cheese varieties can be made without rennet. These include:

Cream cheese
Cottage cheese
Quark
Paneer
Farmer's cheese
Some types of mozzarella

These cheeses are generally soft and can be packed in liquid. The milk in these cheese types is coagulated using citric or other acids rather than animal byproducts.

Finding Cheese Without Animal-Based Rennet

It can be tricky for vegetarians to find cheese that does not contain animal-based rennet, since there are no regulations or requirements for labeling these products. There are various lists online where you can find more information about what types of rennet are used in a variety of brand name cheeses.

Cheese list by brand – Joyous Living has compiled a list of cheeses that are free of animal-based rennet by brand name, broken down into types of cheeses by each brand that are safe for vegetarians, and which ones are not.

Cheese list by type – Also from Joyous Living, this list is sorted by cheese type.

Trader Joe's – Retailer Trader Joe's has a list of cheeses that they carry, which is broken down into those containing animal-based rennet, those with microbial rennet, those with vegetable-based rennet, and those that are completely rennet free. (This list is in .pdf format, and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.)

Other Options

Since finding certified vegetarian rennet cheese can be tricky, there are a few other options for vegetarians who want to eat cheese without worry.

Any cheese labeled kosher is safe for vegetarians to eat. This is because kosher foods cannot contain any combination of meat products and milk. Check kosher specialty food stores or markets for these cheeses.

Other alternatives include soy cheese and other non-dairy cheeses that are made from tofu. There's even a product on the market that mimics parmesan cheese, but is made from ground walnuts, called Parma Raw Parmesan Cheese Alternative.

With a little research and diligence, it's easy for a vegetarian to find cheese made without animal rennet to fit into his or her diet.

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