About cheese and rennet and whatnot...

Question

So, are all conventional cheeses (like those they would use in a restaurant) made with animal rennet, or does this only apply to some varieties? I'm not asking about soy alternatives.

And is eating cheese a violation of the vegetarian diet or only the vegan diet?

I am new to vegetarianism. I know there was a question similar to this asked earlier today, but I'm just looking for further clarification. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

There are 3 types of rennet,

animal

vegetable and microbial.

Vegetarians eat cheeses made with vegetable rennet.

Knowing which ones they are is the prob.

If you ask someone at a restaurant, they'll have no clue( in  most cases) what your talking about.

I can give you some clues,

Most all English and Welsh cheeses use vegetable rennet.

Most Spanish and Italian cheeses use Animal rennet.

Many American companies are now using vegetable rennet.

Polly-o, Stella and many others are using vegetarian rennet

You can look up American cheeses made with vegetarian rennet.

Dutch cheeses are hard to figure some use animal, other vegetable..

Vegan's don't eat cheese.

Cream cheese is cultured and contains no rennet.

But many fresh cheeses do not.

Marsarpone is a good example.

the starter for that is buttermilk and tartaric acid ( cream of tartar), no rennet.

That's correct "Ima Vegan".

Its a bile like liquid from either a calf, sheep or goat.

Liquid meat.

Answer 2

And the type of rennet depends on the brand who makes the cheese, as they use different ones. Cream cheese is made of very similar substances, but contains more milk (or alternatives like soy). In most of Europe (except for the UK and some other countries) they mainly use animal rennet, and in the US they are starting to use a lot more animal rennet. But as a vegetarian you're allowed to eat cheese, no worries... I mean it doesn't really harm the animal... and the cows are bred to produce milk for our use, and not to feed the calves, so I don't really get vegans... but I guess it's a personal opinion!

Eating cheese does NOT violate the vegetarian diet, only the vegan diet. The vegetarian diet consists of nearly all kinds of food except for meat. The vegan diet is against the consumption of any kind of animal product.

Answer 3

Despite what the uneducated person who doesn't "get" vegans says, eating cheese made with animal rennet does violate the rules of being able to call yourself a vegetarian.  Rennet is from the lining of a calf's digestive tract (stomach and intestines).  They don't scrape it out of a living calf.  It is a biproduct of animal slaughter.  

Cheese with animal rennet is as vegetarian as veal.