Can vegetarians eat rennet?
Andrew Henderson
Published Mar 31, 2026
Can vegetarians eat rennet?
While animals are not slaughtered exclusively for rennet, it may not be suitable for all vegetarians. Instead, you can opt for plant-based rennet.
Does rennet make cheese not vegetarian?
The INSIDER Summary: Parmesan cheese uses rennet, an enzyme that’s found in the lining of a goat or calf’s stomach. Because cheeses like Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Manchengo, Gruyère, Gorgonzola, and others use it, they aren’t technically vegetarian.
Why is feta cheese not vegetarian?
Traditional feta is not vegetarian, as it’s made using animal rennet. Some feta cheese is made with animal rennet, some is made with vegetal rennet and some companies produce both. Traditional feta is always made with sheep or goat’s milk and animal rennet, and it should be listed on the ingredient list.
Is there such a thing as a vegetarian rennet?
Although genetically engineered rennet originates from the cell of an animal, it is considered by some to be vegetarian-friendly. Genetically engineered rennet is a new generation of enzymes born from an animal cell, but not actually an animal product itself.
Where does rennet come from in a cow?
Though rennet exists within stomachs of all ruminants, including goats and sheep, most cheesemaking rennet comes from young calves. It is a byproduct of veal production, and stomachs of older cattle produce less or no chymosin and can only be used for specific cheeses.
Can you use animal rennet to make cheese?
The use of animal rennet to make cheese can be a problem if you’re a vegetarian. Although it is less common, vegetarian-friendly cheese made from rennet derived from plants or microbial rennet is available.
Is the rennet in Doritos a vegetarian product?
Products made with animal-derived rennet sources are not vegetarian. Rennet that comes from an animal is from the stomach lining of a slaughtered cow, sheep, or goat. Some places also use rennet derived from slaughtered pigs. So to answer the question that many people have: Are Doritos vegetarian? Do they use animal or microbial sources of rennet?
Are there any Vegetarian alternatives to animal rennet?
Cheeses made using animal rennet are not vegetarian, but there are several alternative rennets that are in varying degrees acceptable to vegetarians. The primary alternatives include: vegetable rennet, microbial rennet or fermentation-produced chymosin (chymosin, along with pepsin, is one of the primary coagulating enzymes in animal rennet).
Though rennet exists within stomachs of all ruminants, including goats and sheep, most cheesemaking rennet comes from young calves. It is a byproduct of veal production, and stomachs of older cattle produce less or no chymosin and can only be used for specific cheeses.
The use of animal rennet to make cheese can be a problem if you’re a vegetarian. Although it is less common, vegetarian-friendly cheese made from rennet derived from plants or microbial rennet is available.
Can you use rennet to coagulate cheese?
Enzymes extracted from the stomach lining of a calf, ewe or baby goat (traditional/animal rennet) In short, traditional (animal) rennet is avoided by strict vegetarians. Plant-based rennet is acceptable but not widely used; in most cases, cardoon thistle is used to coagulate the milk. This is found most often in Spanish and Portuguese cheeses.