Cheese Enzyme (Microbial Rennet)

What it is

Cheese enzyme of microbial, non-animal origin, a modern alternative to calf rennet for setting milk. It's used in various cheeses and comes in liquid or powder form. The most widely used microbial coagulant on the market is a protease from the fungus Rhizomucor miehei, which acts on milk casein much like the chymosin in rennet.

When switching from calf rennet

• Don't use the same dose you used with rennet. Strength varies from product to product and between liquid and powder, so start from the manufacturer's dose.
• Make a test vat and compare the setting time and curd firmness before switching your whole production.

Flavor and ripening

In a 90-day comparison with white cheese, the amino acids that cause bitterness came out at similar levels for all types of coagulant. In a study with industrial hard cheese, one of three microbial coagulants showed differences in protein breakdown, but they evened out with long ripening.

If you want to sell the cheese as suitable for vegetarians, first get confirmation that the product's carriers aren't of animal origin either. For setting with natural rennet we have calf rennet.

Tell us what cheese you make and what coagulant you use now, and we'll send you a quote. Call us at +355 69 202 6314 or write to us via Contact.