Processed
Rennet
Rennet is a coagulant preparation—classically chymosin from calf abomasum, now also microbial, fermentation-produced chymosin, and plant coagulants—that sets milk into a clean curd for cheese. It cleaves kappa-casein so micelles aggregate into a gel that can be cut, cooked, and drained. Strength is expressed in rennet units or dilution ratios; liquid, paste, and tablet forms serve farmhouse and industrial vats. Animal rennet suits traditional aged cheeses; microbial and FPC (fermentation-produced chymosin) widen vegetarian and consistent industrial supply. Dose, temperature, and milk acidity control set time and curd texture.
Also known as: Caglio, Présure, Coalho / Cardoon Style, Rennet
Track this ingredient
Explore further
Breeds & varieties
A sample of named types with their own origin and culinary profiles.
Characteristics
Preparations
Provenance
Sources
Traits
Nutrition and pairings
Nutrition
Typical values per 100 g edible portion. Nutrient names open the reference page.
Nutrition Facts
Per 100 g edible portion
Amount per 100 g
- Total Fat 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
- Cholesterol 2 mg
- Sodium 1370 mg
- Salt 3.5 g
- Total Carbohydrate 1.2 g
- Dietary Fibre 0 g
- Total Sugars 0 g
- Complex / starch 0 g
- Protein 2.5 g
- Water 92 g
- Energy 16 kcal
- Water 92 g
- Carbohydrates 1.2 g
- Protein 2.5 g
- Animal Protein 1.5 g
- Fat 0.1 g
- Vitamins 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12 — Cobalamin 0.2 µg
- Minerals 1393 mg
- Major Minerals 1393 mg
- Trace Minerals 0.1 mg
- Iron 0.1 mg
- Salt 3.5 g
- Sodium Chloride 3.5 g
- Cholesterol 2 mg
Calf or microbial rennet as a liquid extract is mostly water and salt with a little protein enzyme—not a dairy food and not a sugar. Energy is negligible; sodium comes from the brine preservative in the bottle.
In the kitchen
Culinary partners and combinations that usually underperform with Rennet.
Usually avoid with
Often clash in flavour or tradition
History
Pastoral cheese makers discovered that stomach linings of young ruminants coagulated milk into curd.
Classical Mediterranean agriculture described rennet-set cheeses as staples of rural diets.
Commercial rennet extracts standardised cheese-making beyond farmhouse stomach preparations.
Fermentation-produced chymosin transformed industrial cheese with pure recombinant enzyme supply.
Microbial and plant rennets expanded labelled vegetarian cheese options worldwide.