| Vegetarian Cheese | | | | for production. These enzymes are important |
| The term vegetarian cheese might sound | | | | because they are the ingredients that cause milk |
| redundant to you; after all, cheese is made with | | | | to coagulate and eventually become cheese. Many |
| milk, which clearly can be obtained without killing | | | | cheese products produced in the United States do |
| an animal. What most people mean when they | | | | contain a coagulating enzyme derived from either |
| use the term vegetarian cheese is that the | | | | beef or swine. |
| cheese was made with vegetarian rennet. | | | | A few pure vegetarian vegan cheeses do exist, |
| | | | but are less similar to regular cheese in texture, |
| Vegetarians can still eat great cheese these | | | | and they do not melt quite the same. The first |
| chives from. Animal product milk is the basis of all | | | | question one might ask is; what makes a cheese |
| cheese, but you dont take an animals life when | | | | suitable or unsuitable for vegetarians? Cheeses |
| you milk it. True enough, but there is another | | | | can be made with any type of milk, and in the |
| component of cheese, one most people don’t | | | | case of vegan substitutes, soya or rice milk, for |
| usually consider, that may render your beloved | | | | example. The following simplified description for |
| cheese a non-vegetarian product. | | | | making cheddar cheese goes some way towards |
| This coagulation, which separates the milk into | | | | explaining the procedure. Many people may be |
| curds and whey, is an important initial step in | | | | surprised to learn that not all cheese is vegetarian. |
| cheese making. Most commercial cheeses add an | | | | What most people mean when they use the |
| enzyme-based substance called rennet to help this | | | | term vegetarian cheese is that the cheese was |
| process along. The enzymes in rennet are | | | | made with vegetarian rennet. |
| chymosin and rennin, but those two words are | | | | Thankfully, vegetarian rennet is becoming |
| often used interchangeably, and many people, | | | | increasingly popular and recent developments in |
| even cheese makers, just use the term rennet | | | | the production of vegetarian rennet from non |
| or rennin to describe any enzyme in cheese | | | | meat sources means that this trend is likely to |
| making that assists in milk coagulation. Historically, | | | | continue. Vegetarian cheese melts well and can be |
| all cheese has not been made with rennet. | | | | used hot as well as cold. Cheeses that contain |
| Commercial cheese makers need to be able to | | | | 'vegetarian rennet' or 'microbial enzymes' will be |
| replicate their products consistently and reliably, | | | | suitable for vegetarians. These are typically soft |
| and it would be extremely difficult to reproduce | | | | cheeses such as cottage and some cream |
| the precise composition and strength of any given | | | | cheeses. I have tried vegetarian cheeses before |
| lot of stinging nettle solution or to know what | | | | and I have been always been disappointed with |
| quantity of dried sunflower powder to use per | | | | the flavor and texture, so I wasn't expecting a |
| batch of milk. | | | | cheese alternative that actually tastes delicious |
| First of all, some cheeses do not require rennet | | | | and feels right in the mouth. |