TMI: what makes Gourmet cheese vegetarian?

We all know that the cheese is made from milk, but what does it mean when a cheese is labeled vegetarian? Gird your gourmet cheese lovers lombi, this article could qualify as TMI (too much information). To explain the meaning of vegetarian rennet cheese means explaining what it is and how it is used in the cheese making process.

First let's take a trip back several thousand years to learn how this prehistoric food was "discovered". While you are not sure just who invented the cheese, the theory is that Central Asian peoples transported milk canteens made from the stomach of a cow, sheep and goat. These animal stomachs have a coagulating enzyme known as rennet. This enzyme converts milk into solids known as ricotta, which is separated from the remaining liquid called serum. The addition of salt, helped to preserve their new found finesse and has allowed these ancient peoples carry and preserve a perishable food, rich in nutrients-cheese. Certainly a success in ranks right up there with the advent of fire!

Today, modern dairy animal stomachs don't add to milk vats in artisan cheese. In fact, now have two options when making cheese gourmet-animal rennet or microbial rennet, vegetable/. Since 1990, animal rennet was genetically engineered using the gene for animal rennet and is purified for cheese making. Vegetarian rennet is derived from plants or microbes, which have the same properties as coagulant of animal rennet. 1

Ingredients known as microbial enzymes, vegetable rennet and vegetable enzymes indicate that cheese is suitable for vegetarians. Gourmet cheese that is certified as DOP (protected designation of origin) by the European Union, otherwise known as a protected name cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Roquefort can only be called as such because they are manufactured strictly according to the cultural and historical tradition. These types of cheese should use animal rennet to adhere to legal food laws.

Is there a difference in taste between the vegetable and animal rennet? Don't worry, vegetarians can find excellent gourmet cheese. Here is a list of outstanding, incredibly delicious cheese that just happens to use the vegetable rennet/microbial.

Butlers Blacksticks blue
Cahill Farm Cheddar
Cashel Blue
Coach Farm goat cheese
Cypress Grove goats and sheep milk cheeses (Humboldt Fog, lamb Chopper, Purple Haze, etc.)
Mull of mature Cheddar truckle Scottish Kintyre
Old Chatham sheep-farming co. (Bleu, Camembert)
Point Reyes Farmstead cheeses
Rogue Creamery blue cheese (Crater Lake, Oregon Blue, Oregonzola, Rogue River Blue, Smokey blue)
Saint Andre Triple Creme
Shropshire Blue
Vella special select dry Monterey Jack
Vermont butter and cheese & (Bijou, Bonne Bouche, Chevre, torque, etc.)
And Wensleydale Wensleydale with Cranberries

1. David b. Fankhauser, Ph.d., Professor of biology and chemistry, University of Cincinnati College of Clermont, rennet for making cheese, November 23, 2009

About Sara Kahn
Though his passion for gourmet cheese was immortal, Sara Kahn trovato shopping to be overwhelming, time-consuming and confusing. He established The cheese Ambassador to offer an easy way to select and serve the cheese. Discover the robust selection of cheese cheese gifts and gourmet for home entertainment.