


The active enzyme in rennet is chymosin, or rennin. Other types of coagulants include acids like vinegar or lemon juice, which are commonly used when making ricotta or paneer cheeses. This natural enzyme also helps to coagulate, or thicken, milk when making cheese. Rennet is a natural enzyme found in the stomach of young mammals which allows them to process their mother’s milk. What is Rennet and Where Does it Come From? This link contains an explanation of enzymes, but for the purpose of this page, most of our focus will be on rennet, a type of enzyme from which cheese and dairy products are made. What are Enzymes and Where Do they Come From? The four areas of cheese and dairy products which derive the most questioning are: 1) enzymes 2) rennet 3) whey 4) rind I consider it a working document to be updated as things within the food industry fluctuate and change as time goes on. So, I simply hope to provide some information here that serves as a starting point for you with links to other reputable and informative sites that are dedicated to the specific issues described. I don’t claim to be a scholar or even a somewhat-expert on this subject, as it is complicated and ever-changing due to the nature of our modern food industry and the amount of food companies as well as how often they may change their formulas for one single product in their line of multiple food products. This involves everything from hard cheeses like Parmesanto deli cheeses, sour cream, crème frâiche, buttermilk, regular milk, yogurt, and so on. Much like The Vinegar Page, I have written this one because cheese and dairy products are the source of a lot of questions I get about whether or not some of their ingredients are derived from halal and dhabiha sources.

Listing of Halal Certification Agencies & Organizations.
