usually calves. More recently, a microbial alternative (suitable for vegetarians) has been more commonly used in cheese making, but this is by no means across the board. Rennet acts in much the same way as other acidic liquids such as vinegar or lemon juice. In fact, a cheese called ‘paneer’, used extensively in mid-eastern cookery and reasonably easy to make at home, is prepared using only milk and lemon juice. Some cheese types (such as cheddar or brie) can be found in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian forms. Other varieties are not so flexible - an example of a cheese type which is not suitable for vegetarian consumption is parmesan - our enquiries have yet to uncover a vegetarian alternative available for sale in Ireland (however, a non-dairy substitute exists: Florentino Parmazano found in Health Food Shops).

Labelling…

There is a distinct lack of vegetarian-related labelling on most foods, with products at the cheese counter being no exception. A good variety of cheeses on the market are indeed suitable for vegetarian consumption but there is often no way of knowing without going in search of answers - a slow business at the best of times. Widely available cheeses which are not suitable for vegetarian consumption include:

Supermarkets

Marks & Spencer and Tesco stores have their own brand vegetarian symbols, which are clearly visible on those products which qualify for them. Currently, Dunnes Stores appear to have no marking or labelling procedure. Superquinn have an excellent and informative website, however, the packaging of their cheeses does not appear to be as informative. Finally, one must remember that lists such as these are almost always incomplete - there are always products and brand names which will escape. However, it is always helpful to have an incomplete list to use as a guide. If any readers come across unlisted products please let us know, and we will print updates in future editions of the newsletter and website updates. Happy cheese hunting!
(published with permission in writing from:http://www.vegetarian.ie)




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