cheese and animal rennet

[Guest guest]

, " melissa_hopp "

<hoppmel@c...> wrote:

>

> I love trader joe's cuz they have relatively affordable vegetarian

> cheeses, just the plian cheddars and jack cheese, that make it

> easier to make enchiladas, nachos & mac & cheese dinners. They have

> some that are made from " microbial rennet " which they have assured

> me is not animal based...hope I'm not being duped!!

 

Still reading past posts and not sure if anyone got an answer to what

rennet is but here is a definition that I found:

 

" An enzyme used to make cheese. Rennet is extracted from the lining of

calves' stomachs. New technologies have enabled the removal of the

specific gene that produces rennet and have reproduced it in bacteria.

This allows the production of rennet through a fermentation process,

eliminating the need for extracts from calves' stomachs. "

 

Deep colored cheeses sometimes use annato (a spice) for coloring.

 

Organic cheeses do not use rennet.

 

Funny, I'm stringent on not buying products with gelatin in them, but

I haven't been super picky on the cheeses. I guess it's just another

step that I need to take. Unfortunately James eats so much cheese,

that I couldn't afford to buy organic cheese even if I could find it.

Well, as Melissa said, you choose your battles.

 

Denise