Animal Rennet vegetarian?

[luckyfox]

I don't understand how mozzarella and parmesan can be advertised as vegetarian? The only way they can be produced is with it so how can that be classes as vege?

I cook for a lot of Vege/vegan friends and make my own vegan pesto with a nut combination. I can't bare being part of the calf industry so i won't touch anything made with animal rennet.

 

[Ellyn]

Ancient Greeks used figs and capers to coagulate milk. I think some genetically-modified microorganisms can also produce rennet. I suppose that a NeoFoodie can take any ingredient except for the obvious, and create something that can pass for those cheeses but really isn't.

 

[Food4thought]

Where I live it's easy to buy vegetarian cheese made with non-animal rennet and a non-dairy parmsan substitute. I'm sure these must be available in other parts of the world. Have you looked in your local health food store? If they don't stock vegetarian cheeses or parmesan substitute, you should be able to buy them online.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

there is also a fungus or bacteria that can be used instead of animal rennet which does the same thing.
But according to the letter of the law (at least in Europe), anything labelled Parmesan has to be made via traditional methods - i.e. calf rennet.
https://www.vegsoc.org/cheese

 

[firelily99]

I can get the vegetarian non-animal cheese where I live as well and I do like it because I do love my cheese and can be pretty fussy about it at times.