Love Your Cheese?

I wouldn’t say I am a huge cheese fan. I have never been a big cheese eater though I do like fresh parmesan and a bit of raw cheddar. But there are millions of Americans who absolutely love cheese, including health-conscious individuals.  People who follow paleo diets, low carb dieters as well as LCHF (low carb high fat) adherents tend to eat cheese on a regular basis.  Cheese isn’t just that creepy orange colored stuff that should be considered junk food.  It is imported from all over the world and is loved by almost everyone.

Almost All Cheese Contains a GMO Product

There is an ingredient in 90%  of the cheese sold in the USA that is GMO.   It is the coagulant, usually called rennet. A coagulant is an agent that curdles.  In cheese, the coagulant may have different names – rennet, chymosin or enzymes. Originally, rennet was animal-based. Nowadays, a less expensive vegetable rennet is being used in the manufacturing of cheese that is GMO-derived. Ingredient labels do not have to disclose that the rennet is GMO-based. Even that lovely block of cheese with a happy looking slogan “from pasture-raised cows” or some such statement is not exempt. 90% of all cheese in the USA contains this GMO-based rennet.

Cheese From GMO-Free Countries

Are cheeses we import from GMO-free countries ok?  There are several countries that do not allow GMO ingredients in their food supply and they also export cheese. One such country in Denmark. Is their cheese GMO free? Only if you buy it in Denmark. Cheese produced for export to the USA contains GMO-based rennet because it is cheaper.

Is Organic Cheese GMO Free?

The only cheese that is guaranteed to not contain GMO ingredients is certified organic cheese. Unfortunately, the variety of organic cheese available is pretty limiting. If you are a cheese connoisseur, this may be disappointing if you want to avoid GMO ingredients. Maybe some ambitious person will start manufacturing all different kinds of organic cheeses. Just putting the suggestion out there in the universe…….

To your Health!

Peter Gillham