Rennet-less cheese
Angela Zuzich
The following article will explain a little bit about rennet and let you
know what products are available which are rennetless. The product list
is from the US. This article does not get into the ethical issues of
dairy farming in general. I'm sure someone else will post on that.
****************************************************************
WHAT'S IN YOUR CHEESE?
By Sally Clinton
We've recently received a lot of requests from members who are
interested in finding out which cheeses are vegetarian. Others
have asked for information about dairy products in general. As a
result, we've compiled the following information about cheese
companies that do carry vegetarian cheese, and a brief explanation
of some of the reasons many vegetarians choose not to consume
cheese or other dairy products.
WHY WOULDN'T CHEESE BE VEGETARIAN?!?
A crucial ingredient in the production of most commercial cheeses
is an enzyme that comes from the lining of the stomach of calves,
called rennet. Sometimes an enzyme from pigs is also used.
Obviously, this is of concern to vegetarians, since these are
products obtained from slaughtered animals. According to the
American Heritage Dictionary, `rennet' is actually the lining of
the fourth stomach of calves and other young ruminants, but this
term is also used to refer to the enzyme that is extracted from the
stomach lining for use in making cheese. `Rennin' is another word
for this enzyme, although it is less commonly used. These enzymes
are important because they are the ingredients that cause milk to
coagulate and eventually become cheese. Following is a very
informative letter we received from the Consumer Service Department
of Kraft General Foods, Inc., which clearly describes the role
animal enzymes play in the production of cheese. We are grateful
to Ellen Schwarzbach of Kraft for taking the time to give us such
a thorough explanation.
"Thank you very much for asking if Kraft cheese products contain
any animal derivates. Our comments here apply only to products
produced in the United States. Many cheese products produced in
the United States do contain a coagulating enzyme derived from
either beef or swine. The process of changing fluid milk into
cheese consists of coagulating the milk by one of two commonly
used methods, each resulting in cheese having distinct
characteristics.
The most common method of coagulating milk is by the use of an
enzyme preparation, rennet, which traditionally was made from
the stomachs of veal calves. Since the consumption of calves
for veal has not kept pace with the demand for rennet in the
preparation of cheese, a distinct shortage of this enzyme has
developed. Consequently, a few years ago it became a common
practice to mix the rennet extract from calves' stomachs with a
pepsin enzyme derived primarily from the stomachs of swine.
These enzymes convert the fluid milk into a semi-solid mass as
one of the steps in the manufacture of cheese. This mixture of
calf rennet and pepsin extract is quite commonly and widely used
within the United States.
A more recent development in this area has been the use of
enzymes derived from the growth of pure cultures of certain
molds. These are termed microbial rennets. They are commonly
used for the production of certain types of cheese and contain
no animal products. Kraft Domestic Swiss Cheese (any Kraft
Swiss not labeled "Imported" from a foreign country) is made
with microbial rennet. Apart from Kraft Domestic Swiss Cheese,
it is almost impossible for us to assure you that any hard
cheese product which you might purchase from Kraft or any other
American source is absolutely free of animal-derived enzymes.
The other method of coagulating milk is the result of the growth
of pure cultures of bacteria in the milk and the development of
lactic acid. These cheeses have distinctly different
characteristics from those produced using the coagulating
enzymes. Our cream cheese products under the PHILADELPHIA BRAND
name (brick, whipped and soft varieties) and Kraft Neufchatel
Cheese fall into this category. Kraft does not use coagulating
enzymes in cheese of this type, but we cannot be sure what other
manufacturers may use. Our process cheese and process cheese
products are made by grinding and blending. With the aid of
heat, cheese is made by either one of the two methods of
coagulating mentioned above. Therefore, it is impossible for us
to assure you that a given American-made process cheese product
is free of animal-derived enzymes including pepsin and/or
rennet."
As this letter states, enzymes are now available which are not
animal derived called `microbial enzymes.' Information obtained
from Walnut Acres Company states that microbial enzymes are `a
cultured strain of bacteria that digests protein.' It is neither
animal nor vegetable but in a class by itself. Microbial enzymes
are the same as those often referred to as `vegetable enzymes' or
`vegetable rennet.' These terms were originally used to clarify
that the enzymes were not of animal origin. Technically there is
no such thing as `vegetable rennet' since rennet, by definition,
comes from animals, and so `vegetable rennet' is a contradication
in terms. We sent 111 letters to cheese companies around the
country asking whether or not their cheese products contain animal
enzymes or any other products of slaughter. Both commercial and
alternative cheese companies were questioned. We received 28
responses, and additional information was obtained from a few other
companies through phone calls. In general, the majority of answers
that we received were from the smaller alternative and gourmet
cheese companies. We contacted every national cheese company for
whom we had an address; however, undoubtedly some were missed.
Please let us know if you are aware of any other sources of
vegetarian cheese that are not listed here. Our apologies to those
companies who do have vegetarian cheese that we missed.
READ THE LABEL
Due to the widespread use of rennet and other animal enzymes in the
production of cheese, we can only assume that for the companies
that did not respond, these substances are probably used. This is
especially likely to be true for the large commercial cheese
companies. Most cheese products should list the ingredients on the
label. Some companies will specifically list `rennet' or `rennin'
while others might just say `enzymes.' Other terms to look out for
include `chymosin' and `rennase.' For those that list `enzymes,'
these are most likely animal enzymes. Even some cottage cheese and
sour cream products contain rennet. If a company is using
microbial enzymes, it will probably state specifically `vegetable
enzymes' or `vegetable rennet.' Here is a summary of the responses
we received, beginning with those cheeses that are vegetarian.
These products are listed in alphabetical order by their brand name
first, if applicable, then by company.
VEGETARIAN CHEESES
Auricchio Mascarpon. Auricchio Cheese Inc. 5810 Hwy. NN,
Denmark, WI 54208, (414) 863-2123. This is a soft cheese,
and their only variety which is vegetarian.
Bresse Bleu Montrachet. Bresse Bleu Inc., N. 2002 Hwy 26,
Watertown, WI 53094, (414) 261-3036. The Montrachet varieties
are their only products which are vegetarian.
Cabot Monterey Jack and Vitalait Cheese. Cabot Creamery,
PO Box 128, Cabot, VT 05647, (802) 563-2231. These
products use microbial systems. Their cheddar uses rennet.
Coach Farm Goat's Milk Cheesees. The Coach Farm, RR1 Box
445, Pine Plains, NY 12567, (518) 398-5325. All of their
cheese products are vegetarian, without preservatives.
Falbo Cheese. Falbo Cheese, 1931 N. 15th Ave., Melrose
Park, IL 60160, 800-982-0753. They carry a wide variety
of Italian cheeses, all of which use only microbial systems
and are therefore vegetarian. Available in grocery stores.
Fleur de Lait Neufchatel Cheese with Garden Vegetables, and
Neufchatel Cheese with Herb and Spice. Fleur de Lait Foods,
Ltd., 254 Custer Ave., New Holland, PA 17557. We have determined
these two varieties of Fleur de Lait cheeses to be vegetarian
from reading their labels.
Kraft Domestic Swiss and Kraft Neufchatel Cheese. Kraft General
Foods, Kraft Court, Glenview, IL 60025. These are their only
two products that are vegetarian.
Lifetime Natural and Lifetime Fat Free Cheeses. Lifeline Food
Co., Inc., 426 Orange St., Seaside, CA 93955, (408) 899-
5040. All their products use only microbial enzymes.
Morningland Dairy Organic Raw Milk Natural Cheeses.
Morningland Dairy, Rt. 1, Box 188B, Mountain View, MO 65548,
(417) 469-3817. All of their 13 varieties of cheeses are
vegetarian, organic and contain no artificial colors. Mail order.
Mozzarella Company Caciotas, Montasio and Pecorino. Mozzarella
Company, 2944 Elm St, Dallas, TX 75226, (214) 741-4072. These
are their varieties which contain no animal rennet. Cow's milk
and goat's milk cheeses available.
Organic Valley Farms Organic Cheeses. Organic Valley, Main St.,
PO Box 159, La Farge, WI 54639, (608) 625-2602. Organic Valley
offers both raw milk and regular cheeses, all of which are
vegetarian and organic.
Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese. Kraft General Foods, Kraft Court,
Glenview, IL 60025.
Pollio Mozzarella and Pollio Ricotta Cheese. Pollio
Dairy Products Corporation, 120 Mineola Blvd.,
Mineola, NY 11501, (516) 741-8000. These are
probably available in regular grocery stores.
Shalom Farms Organic Cheese. Shalom Farms,
RD 1, Box 1628A, Bethel, PA 19507, (717)
933-4880. All their cheeses are vegetarian.
Raw milk and regular cheese.
Tillamook Cheese (except for the regular Cheddar Cheeses).
Tillamook County Creamery, PO Box 313, Tillamook, OR 97141.
They have 4 vegetarian varieties: Monterey Jack, Colby,
Kosher and Low Sodium Cheddar.
Walnut Acres Cheeses (except for Baby Swiss). Walnut Acres,
Walnut Acres Rd, Penns Creek, PA 17862, 800-433-3998 to
place an order, 800-344-9025 for a catalog. Walnut Acres
is an organic farm which has a wide variety of both cow's milk
and goat's milk cheeses available by mail order. The Baby Swiss
variety is being discontinued.
SOY CHEESE/CHEESE ALTERNATIVES
All soy cheeses are vegetarian. Some do contain calcium
casienate or "casein", which is a milk derivative. It is a
protein which is the ingredient that enables soy cheese to melt
like regular cheese. A few pure vegetarian (vegan) cheeses do
exist, but are less similar to regular cheese in texture, and
they do not melt quite the same. The vegan cheeses are also listed
below and are marked with an asterisk (*).
*Better Than Cream Cheese. Tofutti Brands, Inc., 5- Jackson
Dr., Cranford, NJ 07016, (201) 272-2400. Vegan.
*Mrs. Margareten's Parvemage. Margareten Enterprises, 2900
Review Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101. They carry one of the
few lines of vegan soy cheese. Various flavors are available
including cream cheese and sour cream.
NuTofu. Cemac Foods Corp, 1821 E. Sedgley Ave, Philadelphia,
PA 19124, 800-724-0179. NuTofu sliced soy cheeses, alternative
cheese spreads, cream cheese and dips.
Soy A Melt. White Wave Soyfoods Inc., 6123 Arapahoe Rd, Boulder,
CO 80303, (303) 443-3470. They offer a wide variety of soy cheeses
made with organic tofu.
Soya Kaas. American Natural Snacks, PO box 1067, St. Augustine,
FL 32085, (904) 825-2057. These soy cheeses are available in a
variety of flavors.
Soyco. Soyco Foods, PO Box 5204, New Castle, PA 16105,
800-441-9419, (412) 656-1102. Mail order is available through
Joanne's Selections, 800-874-7952. This is a line of soy
cheese that comes in various flavors and includes parmesan,
sour cream and cream cheeses.
*Soymage. Soyco Foods, PO Box 5204, New Castle, PA 16105,
800-441-9419, (412) 656-1102. Mail order is available through
Joanne's Selections, 800-874-7952. Soymage vegan cheese
substitute in various flavors and vegan sour cream.
Tofu-Rella. Sharon's Finest, P.O. Box 5020,
Santa Rosa, CA 95402, (707) 576-7050.
Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Jalapeno Jack,
Mozzarella, and Garlic-Herb soy cheeses.
CHEESES CONTAINING RENNET
Aurricchio Cheeses All of their cheeses contain
rennet except for the Mascarpone varieties.
Address listed above.
Blue Castello, Blue Note. Tholstrup Cheese USA
Inc., 1 Mountain Blvd., P.O. Box 4194, Warren,
NJ 07059-0194, (201) 756-6320. These
varieties contain rennet.
Bresse-Bleu Brie and Bresse-Bleu Bleu Cheeses.
These contain rennet. Address listed above.
Cabot Cheddar Cheese. Cabot Creamery,
previously listed. Only the cheddar cheese uses
rennet. The Monterey Jack and Vitalait use
microbial enzymes.
Dorman-Roth Foods. Dorman-Roth Foods, 14
Empire Blvd., Moonachie, NJ 07074, (201)
440-3600. From their letter, "We are unable to
state with certainty that any particular cheese
does not contain animal enzymes."
Fleur de Lait. We did not receive a response
from Fleur de Lait, but from reading labels
determined that the two cheeses mentioned
above are vegetarian. We are assuming that the
rest of their products contain animal enzymes.
Kraft Cheese Products. Most Kraft cheeses may
contain rennet. Exceptions and address listed
under vegetarian cheese section.
Land O'Lakes Cheeses. Land O'Lakes Inc., P.O.
Box 116, Minneapolis, MN 55440, (800)
328-4155. `We can not guarantee that any of
our cheeses do not contain rennet.'
Maytag Blue Cheese. Maytag Dairy Farms, Box
806, Newtown, IA 50208, (800) 247-2458,
(515) 792-1133. All of the Maytag cheeses
contain rennet.
Mozzarella Company. Most of their products
contain rennet. Those which don't are listed
under the vegetarian cheese section. Address
previously listed.
Pollio Cheese Products. Except for those
mentioned above, their products contain animal
enzymes.
Saga Soft Ripened Cheeses. Tholstrup Cheese
USA Inc., 1 Mountain Blvd., P.O. Box 4194,
Warren, NJ 07060-0194, (201) 756-6320. All
of the Saga varieties contain rennet.
Tolko Specialty Cheeses. Tholstrup Cheese, 1
Mtn. Blvd., Box 4194, Warren, NJ 07060-0194,
(201) 756-6320. Imported cheeses from
Denmark, all of which contain rennet.
Tillamook Cheddar Cheeses (Medium, Sharp,
Extra Sharp). These contain rennet. Address
previously listed.
WHAT ABOUT KOSHER CHEESE?
Cheese that is certified kosher, may or may not
be vegetarian. Your best bet is to read the
labels. As stated in the February 1991 issue of
Kashrus Magazine, "If the source of rennet is a
kosher species of animal, ritually slaughtered
under rabbinical supervision, it may be used to
turn milk into cheese." Gili Kosher Cheeses are
vegetarian.
DO IT YOURSELF CHEESE
For those adventurous folks who would like to
make their own cheese, supplies can be obtained
from the New England Cheesemaking Supply Co.
They do have both `liquid vegetable rennet' and
`vegetable rennet tablets'. Contact the New
England Cheesemaking Supply Co., 85 Main St.,
Ashfield, MA 01330, (413) 628-3808.
ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF CALCIUM AND
VITAMIN D
Since cheese is so widely used in our society and
found in or on everything from pizza, chili, and
casseroles, to salads, sandwiches, and quiche,
many people rarely give eating cheese a second
thought. However, there are people who avoid
dairy products for health, ethical, and
environmental reasons. Cheese and other dairy
products have long been promoted as the source
of dietary calcium for Americans and also as our
primary source of vitamin D, but nutritionally we
do not need to consume these products. Calcium
can be obtained from leafy green vegetables such
as spinach, collards, kale and broccoli, blackstrap
molasses, soybeans, sesame seeds, and tofu
processed with calcium sulfate. Vitamin D is not
naturally found in milk, but is added to increase
its nutritional value. It is only found naturally in
egg yolk and fish oil. Our bodies are able to
synthesize vitamin D through exposure to
sunshine. At least 10-15 minutes of summer sun
on hands and face 2-3 times a week is
recommended for adults so that vitamin D
production can occur. Infants should receive at
least two hours of sunshine a week on face and
hands throughout the year. Nature takes care of
both our mental and physical health through
requiring us to spend time outdoors and enjoy
fresh air and sunshine. If you cannot spend
adequate time outdoors and are following a
vegan diet, you might want to take a vegetarian
vitamin D supplement.
For those who are interested in decreasing their
intake of dairy foods, there are many substitutes
available in addition to the soy cheese products
previously listed. At your health food store, and
even some progressive supermarkets, you can
find soy milk, dairy-free ice creams, fruit
sherberts, creamy tofu salad dressings, and soy
yogurt, to name a few. In addition, there is an
endless possibility of foods you can make at
home. These might include nut milks, dairyless
whipped cream, fruit shakes, tofu cheesecakes,
and even homemade tofu ice cream! With a little
bit of imagination and a good vegan cookbook,
you can come up with a substitute for almost any
dairy food. The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook
has an excellent recipe for nutritional yeast
cheese and also a vegan cream cheese. Tofu
Cookery by Louise Hagler contains many recipes
for dairy substitutes.
For those who avoid cheese and other dairy
products for ethical reasons, their opposition may
stem from the connection between the dairy and
veal industries, and the treatment of dairy cows
on modern `factory farms.' They feel that these
animals are viewed as `machines' and
manipulated to produce as much as possible.
Other people do not consider it `natural' for us to
be consuming cow's milk, since they feel it is not
designed for humans, and no other species
consume milk past infancy. From an
environmental standpoint, the dairy industry is
another industry that many people feel is
contributing to water pollution, deforestation,
topsoil depletion, and other negative impacts on
the earth. Since all these issues are very
complex and may require more thorough
research, they will be examined in a future issue
of the Vegetarian Journal.
LET THEM KNOW IT MATTERS
The letter from Kraft demonstrates the
importance of making our dollars talk. Since the
consumption of calves for veal has not kept pace
with the demand for rennet, alternatives are
being developed, as is being demonstrated with
the increased use of microbial enzymes. If you
are opposed to the use of rennet in cheese, let
the companies know! They do listen, and if
enough people bring it to their attention, changes
will be made. In addition, it is important to thank
those companies that have gone to extensive
efforts to produce healthier, more
environmentally sound products. These
companies need our support, so let's let them
know it matters!
DAIRY-FREE RECIPES
NUTRITIONAL YEAST "CHEESE"
from The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes*
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cups water
1/4 cup margarine
1 tsp wet mustard
Mix dry ingredients in saucepan. Whisk in water.
Cook over medium heat, whisking, until it thickens
and bubbles. Cook 30 seconds, then remove from heat,
whip in margarine and mustard. It will thicken as it
cools, but will thin when heated, or when water is added.
Makes 3 cups.
Note: If you'd like to lower the fat content of this recipe,
use a tablespoon of margarine. This works just as well. It
can also be prepared without using any margarine at all.
Variation: For a richer stretchier sauce that's good on pizza,
substitute for the flour: 1/4 cup cornstarch and 2 Tbsp Flour.
Instead of margarine, whip in 1/2 cup of oil after it cooks, and
add as much as 1 cup of water at the end, or as needed to make
a thick, smooth sauce that pours easily. Pour it on pizza and
for the last few minutes of baking, put pizza under broiler for
a few minutes to form a stretchy, golden brown speckled skin.
_________________________________________________________________
*Nutritional Yeast comes in both flakes and powdered form. The
information and recipes included here pertain to nutritional
yeast flakes. They have a yellow or gold color, and make a
tasty topping for vegetables, salads and popcorn, and can be
used to make many delicious gravies, casseroles and sauces.
Nutritional yeast flakes can be found in many health food stores
or ordered through the mail. They are available through the
Mail Order Catalog, PO Box 180, Summertown, TN 38483, 800-
695-2241; or Walnut Acres, Penns Creek, PA 17862, 800-433-
3998.
Nutritional yeast is often cited as containing vitamin B12,
although there is some controversy as to how much of it the body
can use. We do know that at least one type, Red Star T6635,
has been tested and is shown to be a reliable source of active
vitamin B12. The nutritional yeast flakes available from both The
Mail Order Catalog and Walnut Acres are the Red Star T6635 type.
Apparently, the powdered form from Walnut Acres is Red Star
NBC 600 which is not a good source of vitamin B12.
___________________________________________________________________
MACARONI AND "CHEESE"
CASSEROLE
from The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook
Cook 3-1/2 cups elbow macaroni. In a saucepan,
melt 1/2 cup margarine over low heat. Beat in
1/2 cup flour with a wire whisk and continue to
beat over a medium flame until the mixture
(called a roux) is smooth and bubbly. Whip in
3-1/2 cups boiling water, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, 2 Tbsp.
soy sauce, 1-1/2 tsp. garlic powder, and a pinch
of turmeric, beating well. The sauce should cook
until it thickens and bubbles. Then whip in 1/4
cup oil and 1 cup nutritional yeast flakes.
Mix part of the sauce with the noodles and put in
casserole dish, and pour a generous amount of
sauce on top. Sprinkle top with paprika, and
bake for 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Put
in broiler for a few minutes until "cheese" sauce
gets stretchy and crisp. Serves 5.
TOTAL CALORIES PER SERVING: 585
% OF CALORIES FROM FAT: 46%
MAPLE CHEESECAKE
from Tofu Cookery by Louise Hagler
Have your favorite 8-inch pie shell ready.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Blend in a food processor or blender until smooth
and creamy:
1-1/2 lbs. tofu
3 Tablespoons oil
1-1/3 cups maple syrup
Pinch of salt
Pour this mixture into an unbaked pie shell. Bake
for 1 hour until set. Serve cold. Serves 6.
TOTAL CALORIES PER SERVING: 445
% OF CALORIES FROM FAT: 42%
PROOF YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
As we go to press, Mary Bolgert from
Amberwave Foods called with some information
about the cheese used on their Graindance Pizza.
This was in response to a letter we had written
asking whether or not the cheese on their pizza
contained rennet. She consulted the three
cheese companies they use, and found that one
of them does use rennet. After finding this out,
she said they are switching companies! So, soon
this pizza will be rennet-free! They also carry a
soy cheese pizza called Soydance. They make
their own cheese for this, which is vegetarian but
contains casein. At present their soy cheese is
used only for their pizza, but they plan on
marketing it individually in the near future. They
are also working to develop a vegan cheese.
This article originally appeared in the _Vegetarian_Journal_,
published by:
The Vegetarian Resource Group
P.O. Box 1463
Baltimore, MD 21203
(410) 366-VEGE
WHAT IS THE VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP?
Our health professionals, activists, and educators work with
businesses and individuals to bring about healthy changes in your
school, workplace, and community. Registered dietitians and
physicians aid in the development of nutrition-related
publications and answer member and media questions about
vegetarian diets. The Vegetarian Resource Group is a non-profit
organization. Financial support comes primarily from memberships,
contributions, and book sales.
The contents of this article, as with all The Vegetarian Resource
Group publications, is not intended to provide personal medical
advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health
professional.
For questions or comments on this article, please contact Bobbi
Pasternak at bo...@clark.net. This article may be reproduced for
non-commercial use intact or with credit given to The Vegetarian
Resource Group.
--
*******************************************************************
* Bobbi Pasternak <bo...@clark.net> *
* CompuServe: 70302,3442; AOL: NurseBobbi *
* Vegetarian Resource Group/Vegetarian Journal *
* PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203 USA *
* Phone: (410) 366-8343 Fax: (410) 366-8804 *
* The VRG is a non-profit educational organization. Please *
* contact us for information about vegetarianism. *
*******************************************************************
C. Babe
Pasternak's article which was re--posted -was- the same info I rec'd a year
ago when I called Kraft.
Upon calling Kraft THIS year (March,1995), I rec'd vastly different info.
I was given very specific info regarding the enzymes used in their many
cheeses and basically was informed that Kraft uses NON-animal source enzymes
in all their cheeses EXCEPT sharp and extra-sharp.
I'm wondering what the original date of that article was? Was the info
gathered over a year ago or recently? I recently sent a letter to the Kraft
Consumer Response Center asking them for -current, complete, and accurate-
info about their cheeses. I'll let you all know what I find out......
cb