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
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Breeds & varieties
A sample of named types with their own origin and culinary profiles.
Characteristics
Preparations
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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 0.98 g
- Saturated Fat 0.53 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 0.2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 0.21 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Sodium 19.6 mg
- Salt 0.05 g
- Total Carbohydrate 87.9 g
- Dietary Fibre 0 g
- Total Sugars 87.4 g
- Complex / starch 2.03 g
- Protein 2.04 g
- Water 5.24 g
- Energy 397 kcal
- Water 5.24 g
- Carbohydrates 87.9 g
- Sugars 87.4 g
- Monosaccharides 61.2 g
- Disaccharides 26.2 g
- Starch 2.03 g
- Amylose 0.51 g
- Amylopectin 1.52 g
- Digestible Starch 1.73 g
- Resistant Starch 0.2 g
- Protein 2.04 g
- Fat 0.98 g
- Saturated Fat 0.53 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 0.2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 0.21 g
- Vitamins 24.7 mg
- Vitamin A 20 µg
- Vitamin B1 — Thiamine 0.01 mg
- Vitamin B2 — Riboflavin 0.02 mg
- Vitamin B3 — Niacin 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B5 — Pantothenic Acid 0.05 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.02 mg
- Vitamin B7 — Biotin 0.2 µg
- Vitamin B9 — Folate 1.8 µg
- Vitamin C 2 mg
- Vitamin E 0.09 mg
- Vitamin K 0.4 µg
- Minerals 314 mg
- Major Minerals 308 mg
- Trace Minerals 6.3 mg
- Salt 0.05 g
- Sodium Chloride 0.05 g
Vitamins
vitamin-c: 2 · vitamin-a: 20 · vitamin-b1-thiamine: 0.01 · vitamin-b2-riboflavin: 0.02 · vitamin-b3-niacin: 0.1 · vitamin-b5-pantothenic-acid: 0.05 · vitamin-b6: 0.02 · vitamin-b7-biotin: 0.2 · vitamin-b9-folate: 1.8 · vitamin-e: 0.09 · vitamin-k: 0.4 ·
Minerals
Sodium: 19.56 · Potassium: 244 · Calcium: 44 · Iron: 0.9 · Zinc: 0.4 · Iodine: 5 ·
Refined processed sweeteners and additives are energy-dense carbohydrate with little else.
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.