Why is cheese considered vegetarian when it contains rennet?

Question

MMM.. why?
Are there any brands that don't have it? If so, which ones?

Rennet by the way is grinded stomachs/enzymes of baby cows.

Answer 1

Cheese that has animal rennet is NOT considered vegetarian. There are MANY cheeses that dont use animal rennet. Google "Vegetarian cheese" and there is at least one link to a website with a list. Many of common national brands dont use rennet is several of their products like Sorrento and Sargento but you need to see which ones under the FAQ at the brand websites.

Answer 2

Generally, the ones that don't have rennet will have "microbial enzyme" listed on the ingredient list, at least here in Canada.
Cheeses that don't contain rennet at all are cream cheese, cottage and ricotta.
Chrissy, animal rennet IS obtained from calves' stomachs and added to the milk (only the enzyme, not the stomachs!). However this involves killing the calf and extracting the enzymes, as part of veal production. Animal rennet is more commonly used in Europe. Vegetarian rennet is becoming more common in North America for economic reasons.

Answer 3

If people don't start understanding the difference between vegetarian and vegan I am going to scream.

Yes, cheeses are not vegan, but that was not even your question, so I thought I would address that to your other answerers.

She asked, why is it vegetarian when some of them contain rennet? For the people who don't understand, eating rennet is not vegetarian and vegetarians don't necessarily like pieces of animals being in their cheese (and yes, they can have meatless cheese because they are vegetarian, not vegan).

I know Cabot brand cheese is vegetarian friendly. I see it at just about any supermarket.

Hope it helps!

Answer 4

I quit eating cheese because of the rennet. It's kinda funny, how I learned. One evening I was sprinkling shredded cheese onto my dinner (likeley spaghetti with tomato sauce) and I had "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" on in the living room. As I was sprinking the cheese, a question about cheese and rennet (I think something to the effect of from where rennet comes) came on. Since I already had some cheese on my food and I was clueless a minute prior, I sprinkled more. It occurred to me that I was probably supporting the murder of the calves by buying cheese. Eventually, though, I did do some research and confirmed my theory. Heh. I should tell this to my sister-in-law who, the last I knew, was transferring into vegetarianism. Her willpower seems to be pretty good considering she lives with two parents who eat large amounts of processed food and meat. I'm impressed. (I would also like to think I inspired her, but I don't think I have much.)

I digress.

Answer 5

vegetarian rennet cheeses are available. Cabot brand contains no animal rennet and is clearly stated on the label. I make homemade cheese with vegetarian rennet, which comes from a weed. Many whole food stores carry other brands of vegetarian cheese.

Answer 6

A lot of cheese doesnt contain animal rennet. I dont know where you live, but in the UK most supermarkets sell their own brand vegetarian cheese.. Cathedral cheese is also vegetarian and so are a lot of others, you just have to look.

Answer 7

Vegan means NO animal products. But if you must look for Kosher cheeses as they uses no rennet.

Answer 8

Because it's still not meat. Rennet is an enzyme taken from the fourth stomach of cows. Here, check this out: http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/cheesebybrand.htm

Answer 9

Tillamook cheese appears to not have animal rennet, there was some other popular brand that also did (Sorento?).

Answer 10

Cheese is vegetarian because rennet is enzymes, and vegetarians do not eat meat. Cheese is not vegan. It is vegetarian.