Rennet Is Crucial Enzyme Required For Cheesemaking Process

Rennet 

Cheese is so beloved that it might be considered its own food group, but not many people know how it actually comes to be. Most cheese is made from milk, but the process of turning liquid milk into a solid takes some special ingredients. Rennet is one of those ingredients, and it is an essential part of the cheesemaking process. In short, it is an enzyme that solidifies milk, making it into curds and whey.

It is most commonly collected from the stomach linings of unweaned baby mammals, like cows (calves), sheep (ewes) or goats (kids). It is primarily harvested from the fourth stomach because that is when it begins to naturally produce the enzyme chymosin, which is needed to create the coagulant for cheesemaking. As a result, animal based is typically kosher and therefore suitable for making halal cheese.

The worldwide Rennet Market was estimated to be worth US$ 683.1 million in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 5.39% from 2022 to 2030 to reach US$ 1080 million.

While most cheeses are traditionally created using calf-derived one, modern methods have allowed for cheeses to be made with plant or microbial based as well. These alternatives have been developed through microbial fermentation, which allows for a larger, more consistent supply of the ingredient and is vegetarian-friendly.

Plant-based, which is available in tablet form from most grocers, comes from plants such as nettles, thistles and ground ivy, though some homemakers make it themselves from fresh plant material. It is not as strong or effective as traditional Rennet, but it is vegetarian-friendly and does coagulate milk well enough for some types of cheese.

Microbial based is a type of cheesemaker's coagulant that uses microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria or yeast to secrete the chymosin enzyme for coagulating milk. Microbial based is available in powder form from most cheesemaking suppliers and is also known as microbial vegetable or fermentation-produced chymosin (FPC). Many microbial based manufacturers use strains of fungus that have been genetically modified to secrete the enzymes, which makes them vegetarian-friendly.

While microbial based has become increasingly popular in recent years, there is no substitute for the traditional forms of animal based in some cheeses. This is because cheeses based on casein (such as feta and ricotta) require a stronger, more stable coagulant than soft cheeses that are primarily based on whey. Microbial based has the ability to withstand higher acid levels in whey-based cheeses, but is not as effective at creating thick curds.

Despite this, microbial and plant-based have played a major role in the development of more advanced cheeses, including hard and semi-hard varieties that have been pressed or aged for greater complexity. Cheeses that are Rennet free can be made with acidic substances such as vinegar or lemon juice, which help to firm the curds and whey.