If it says 'enzymes/starter cultures' on a cheese label, could it be from meat?

Question

I've got a list of different cheeses. The ones that say rennet I know could contain animal products, but ones that have no rennet but says enzymes and starter cultures... could they be rennet?

Answer 1

enzymes are often the same thing as animal rennet.  You need to call the company and ask.

Answer 2

rennet and pepsin is pig.

The only way to know whether the source of rennet is animal, plant or microbe is to ask the food industry about it or have it written on the label.

sometimes itll say microbial enzymes which i dont think is animal. neither is like soy of course. but other than that you would have to call.

Answer 3

Saying "rennet" does not necessarily mean animal rennet.

there are 3 different types of rennet:

Animal

Vegetable

Microbial.

Yes, starter cultures and enzymes could be rennet also.

Rennet is an enzyme.

So here's so info that may interest you if your looking for vegetarian cheeses.

Almost every English cheese is made with vegetable rennet.

ALL Welsh cheeses are Vegetable rennet.

Many American companies are starting to use Veggie rennet IE

Polly-O, Stella, and Grande ( and many others).

Most Italian cheeses are made with animal rennet( as are the Spansih).

Dutch is the most confusing because it;s roughly a mixed bag( some yes, some no).

Then you have "Cheeses" that use no rennet at all.

IE Cream Cheese, Mascarpone and many fresh cheeses.

The reason I say "Cheeses: because the real definition of cheese is milk mixed with rennet, although cream cheese, Marscarpone etc etc do not contain rennet.

the starter  and enzymes for marscarpone are buttermilk and tartaric acid ( cream of tartar).

Most labels( especially with European cheeses) tell you nothing about what type of rennet is used.

So it can be frustrating and confusing.

But theres sites that help you identify these cheeses and how they're made.

Microbial rennet has nothing to do with animals.

It's man made in labs.

Yes it can.

Rennet is an enzyme.

So if an ingredient is labeled with the word enzyme it can be from an animal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rennet

Answer 4

enzymes and starter culture ARE NOT rennet..  But their producion involve rennet... I know it is not very clear.... Cheese makers use natural whey starters, which are obtained at the end of the cheese production process. after cooking milk and rennet to create cheese, you have to drain the solid part (curd), which then becomes cheese. the whey is the remaining liquid part, which is collected every day, and left in a special container to let it ferment. It is like the identifying fingrprint of every dairy beacuse it is unique! So it is not rennet, but their are produced with rennet...