Cheese is a popular dairy product with many different varieties enjoyed worldwide. It is commonly used in many countries, either with bread or as an ingredient in cooking some foods. Cream and milk are the primary ingredients of cheese, but there is another crucial component required for cheese production known as cheese rennet. The cheese rennet curdles the milk to prepare it for cheese-making. In this article from iPars, we will explore how this substance works and introduce some of the best cheese rennet brands. Stay with us.
What is Cheese Rennet?
Cheese is a dairy product made from curdled and coagulated milk. Cow, goat, sheep, and buffalo milk are suitable for cheese-making, with cow's milk being the most commonly used by cheese producers. Cheese rennet is an enzyme that acidifies the milk and prepares it for cheese production. In the past, an enzyme called rennet, extracted from the stomach lining of calves, was used for cheese-making. However, nowadays, a laboratory-made enzyme is more suitable for this purpose. As mentioned, cheese rennet comes in various types, and we will introduce some of them below.
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Different Types of the Best Cheese Rennet
Cheeses have a wide range of flavours and colours due to their diverse compositions. One of these components is the cheese rennet, which comes in various types. Some of them are as follows:
The best animal cheese rennet
Animal cheese rennet is derived from an enzyme called chymosin, which has coagulating properties and is naturally found in the stomachs of calves, kids (young goats), and lambs. This enzyme is incredibly potent, to the extent that a single part of chymosin can curdle 15,000 parts of milk. To learn more about fermented chymosin, click here.
The best plant-based cheese rennet
In recent years, the supply of animal cheese rennet has decreased, leading to an increase in its price. On the other hand, vegetarians are opposed to the consumption of this type of rennet. This has prompted researchers to consider producing plant-based cheese rennet. Olive tree leaves, thistle, coriander, melon, and fig leaves are the main sources for preparing plant-based cheese rennet. This substance, available in the market in the form of tablets, liquid, and organic versions, has gained significant popularity in the cheese-making industry in recent years.
The best microbial cheese rennet
Due to the increasing production of cheese worldwide, the production of animal and plant-based cheese rennet is no longer sufficient to meet the demands of the global market. For this reason, a third type of this substance called microbial cheese rennet has been developed, which has a formula similar to the animal model. In this model, two molds called Rhizopus oryzae and Rhizopus pusillus are used, which contain the active enzyme s of chymosin. This type of cheese rennet currently has the highest consumption rate. To learn more about microbial coagulants, click here.
The Use of cheese Rennet
The primary and most important use of cheese rennet is to coagulate milk and prepare it for cheese production. These substances are produced in liquid and powder forms, but the powder form having much greater coagulating power than the liquid form. For instance, each unit of liquid cheese rennet can curdle 15,000 units of milk, while each unit of powdered cheese rennet can curdle 100,000 units of milk. However, the liquid form of the rennet dissolves more uniformly in milk and creates a more uniform curd texture.
The colour of the liquid rennet varies depending on the diet of the animals and ranges from white to yellow, and in some cases, it can even be green. The colour of the powdered form also varies between white and cream. Commercial models of cheese rennets are typically made with a light brown colour.
Also read: The Difference between Rennet Tablets and Cheese Rennet
The Best Brand of Cheese Rennet
As mentioned in the previous section, the best type of cheese rennet is the microbial model, which, despite its animal origin, does not harm animals and is also approved by vegetarians. On the other hand, because this model is produced in the laboratory, it is cost-effective and economical, which is why it is widely used in the production of various types of cheese today.
However, individuals who do not tend to use processed and modified products can also use cheeses made with animal and plant rennet. Currently, many countries and companies produce this substance. In the category of the best cheese rennet brands, we can mention the Maysa brand. The products of this brand are based on veal and cow and are frozen at very low temperatures to be ready for production. Maysa has its own special method for extracting cheese rennet enzymes, which is why its products are different from others. All products of the Maysa brand are produced with the halal label and come in various types suitable for producing different cheese models. Below, we will introduce some other best types of cheese rennet.
Meito
Meito is another well-known and best-selling brand that produces fungal or microbial cheese rennet and offers it in packages of 1, 25, 100, and 250 grams. Each gram of Mito cheese rennet powder is suitable for 100 litres of milk.
EnzymEx
This brand has introduced cheese rennet tablets to the market that are unique and special in their own way. A + sign is placed on EnzymEx tablets, which dividing the tablet into 4 parts. Each 1 gram of EnzymEx tablet is sufficient for 25 litres of milk.
Valiren
This cheese rennet is produced in the United States and is available in 25 and 50-gram packaging.
Also read: What is Carrageenan?
Final Words
In this article from iPars, we have examined the importance of using cheese rennet and introduced the best types of cheese rennet to you. If you intend to make cheese at home, pay attention to the amount of cheese rennet needed for your cheese production. If your milk is impure, you may need to use more cheese rennet. Also, various types of cheese rennet are available in the market for making different types of cheese, so be sure to consider this when purchasing cheese rennet. Finally for Buying raw materials for the dairy industry You can visit our site and get the products you need.