In some cheeses “microbal” rennet is used. Is this suitable for vegetarians?
Q In some cheeses “vegetable” or “non-animal” rennet is quoted. There is also “microbal” rennet mentioned on some packagings. Do you know what is it and is it suitable for vegetarians? A Enzymes are used in the cheese making process as coagulation agents – they assist in the solidification of the cheese. Rennet, which is derived from the stomach of calves, is one such enzyme used. Others include microbial or fungal enzymes. You may wish to check with the manufacturers of the particular cheeses, but I assume what they mean by ‘microbal rennet’ is that the coagulation enzyme is produced by bacteria (microbes) rather than sourced from animals.
