What is rennet in brie cheese?

Answer 1

Rennet is actually dead baby cow enzymes scraped from its 4th stomach.

- It is used in Cheese manufacturing as a 'hardener' (to make cheese more firm).

pretty much all cheeses can contain "rennet". It is entirely up to the manufacturer of the cheese if they will use an animal rennet or a non animal rennet.

Some companies choose to use use a non-animal rennet (ie: microbial or mushroom culture or synthetic), and some companies use the dead baby cow enzymes.

Animal rennet is cheaper, (hence many non-ethical companies using it).

so its impossible to give a list of cheeses that don't contain rennet, because its all 100% dependant on the company.

and if they don't use rennet, then many companies use Gelatin instead, (which is dead cow or fish bones!!)

you will find that MOST cheeses in America and Australia and Denmark all use the cheaper Animal Rennet option.

Cheeses in the UK however are almost all non-animal rennet. (but you should always check the label before purchase).

if the label says 'cheese culture, starter culture, enzymes etc... then it is not specific and you have no idea what kind of rennet has been used, (you can either call the company and ask them, or buy a different brand that bothers to label their products better).

Answer 2

Rennet allows the to coagulate.