Vegetarian Cheeses
updated 30th April 2008

(......includes Yogurts, Sour Creams etc too)

Good news! There is a totally vegan "cheese" which is nice tasting and versatile, one variety which can be directly melted on pizzas etc now available in New Zealand, imported from the UK. My children love Cheezly!
 
Redwood Foods "Cheezly" is a UK product, and when we lived in the UK for five years we were determined to ensure New Zealanders could enjoy Cheezly as well. We couldn't believe how lucky we were to be able to buy such an amazing vegan cheese in the UK, especially after our disappointment on tasting the Australian vegan "cheeses".
 
Our telephone calls and emails to Redwoods might have nothing to do with it, but Redwood's Cheezly is now available at health shops throughout New Zealand. Two varieties are available - Yellow Cheddar and the slightly higher fat but more meltingly delicious Mozzarella. Having mentioned the fat issue - there is no hydrogenated fat in Cheezly. Cheezly is Vegetarian and vegan, dairy free, cholesterol free, no hydrogenated fats, no artificial colours of preservatives, gluten free, wheat free and GMO free.
 
Redwoods also do other flavours, Garlic and Herb, Nacho and a Red Cheddar, as well as another higher fat melting one, which I can't remember the name of. However, at this time there is not a strong enough demand for these other flavours in New Zealand. If you want them - ask your health food shop to order them.
 
In New Zealand, the Cheezly's are distributed by a small vegan foodie business in Auckland called Angel Foods, who also do an amazing array of gluten and dairy free baking goodies, and amazing vegan catering for small conferences, parties and so on. You can contact Angel Foods and find out about their yummy goodies through their website: http://www.angelfoods.co.nz.
 
You can also look at the range of delicious savoury goodies Redwoods Foods sells in the UK (some of their products we found were very transitional - when you really just had to have that slice of bacon but wanted a veggie alternative!) http://www.redwoodfoods.co.uk
 
From a grateful Cheezly customer!

Cheezly Soy Cheese
http://www.angelfoods.co.nz/cheese.htm
What is Cheezly?

Many people who no longer eat dairy products, whether for health or ethical reasons, really miss cheese!

Cheezly looks, tastes, smells and even melts like dairy cheese, but it contains:
no animal products
no cholesterol
no lactose or casein
no gluten
no hydrogenated oils or canola oil
only plant-derived natural flavourings and colourings
 

Cheezly is available in New Zealand in two varieties:

White Cheddar

Ingredients: Water, potato starch, non-hydrogenated vegetable fats and oils, soya protein, yeast extract, carrageenan (as thickener), salt, flavouring, carotene.
Total fat content: approximately 18.4%

Super-melting Mozzarella

Ingredients: Water, non-hydrogenated vegetable fats and oils, soya protein, starch, carrageenan and locust bean gum (as thickeners) salt, yeast extract, calcium phosphate and potassium phosphate (emulsifying salts), raw cane sugar, flavour, herbs, spices, annatto and beta carotene.
Total fat content: approximately 25.4%

Cheezly is made in England by the multi-award-winning Redwood Wholefood Company, a business committed to producing the best GE-free vegan and vegetarian food.

Angel Food is proud to be the New Zealand importer and distributor of Cheezly.

Courtesy of http://www.vegsoc.org/info/cheese.html

Introduction -- Manufacture -- Vegetarian Cheeses -- Types of Cheese -- Nutritional Aspects

Introduction

Cheese is made by coagulating milk to give curds which are then separated from the liquid, whey, after which they can be processed and matured to produce a wide variety of cheeses. Milk is coagulated by the addition of rennet. The active ingredient of rennet is the enzyme, chymosin (also known as rennin). The usual source of rennet is the stomach of slaughtered newly-born calves. Vegetarian cheeses are manufactured using rennet from either fungal or bacterial sources. Advances in genetic engineering processes means they may now also be made using chymosin produced by genetically altered micro-organisms.

Manufacture

The exact processes in the making of cheese varies between different varieties. However, all cheeses are made by essentially the same method. Initially, the milk is usually pasteurised by heating at 72°C for 15 seconds to destroy potentially harmful bacteria. The milk is then cooled to around 30°C and a starter culture of lactic acid bacteria is added to help souring. These convert lactose into lactic acid and help in the coagulation process. In addition, they also have a beneficial effect on the eventual quality, taste and consistency of the cheese. Some cheeses are coagulated entirely by lactic acid bacteria and are known as lactic-curd or acid-curd cheeses. However, some cheeses sold as lactic-curd cheese may have had rennet added.

The next stage is the addition of rennet, containing the enzyme chymosin. Rennet is usually sourced from the abomasum (fourth stomach) of newly-born calves. Here, chymosin aids the digestion and absorption of milk. Adult cows do not have this enzyme. Chymosin is extracted by washing and drying the stomach lining, which is then cut into small pieces and macerated in a solution of boric acid or brine at 30°C for 4-5 days. Pepsin may sometimes be used instead of chymosin. This is usually derived from the abomasum of grown calves or heifers, or less commonly pigs. Pepsin may be mixed with calf rennin. Rennet coagulates the milk, separating it into curds and whey. This is called curdling.

Chymosin breaks down the milk protein casein to paracasein which combines with calcium to form calcium paracaseinate, which separates out. Milk fat and some water also becomes incorporated into this mass, forming curds. The remaining liquid is the whey. The strength of different rennets can vary, though usual strength varies between 1:10,000 and 1:15,000 i.e. one part rennin can coagulate 10-15,000 parts milk.

Other substances may also be added during the cheese making process. Calcium chloride is added to improve the curdling process, and potassium nitrate is added to inhibit contaminating bacteria. Dyes (e.g. annatto, beta-carotene), Penicillium roquefortii mould spores to promote blue veining, or propionic acid bacteria to encourage hole formation may be added.

Following curdling, the curds are cut and drained. The size of the cut and the methods used vary for different cheese varieties. For soft cheeses, the curds are sparingly cut and allowed to drain naturally. For hard cheeses, the curds are heated and more whey is drained off. The curds are then cut into small pieces, placed in vats and pressed.

After pressing, the curds may be treated in a number of ways. They may be moulded into different shapes, soaked in a saltwater solution, be sprayed with mould forming spores or bacteria, washed in alcohol, or covered in herbs.

The final stage is ripening, or maturation. This can vary in length from 4 weeks to 2-3 years, depending on the type of cheese. During ripening flavours develop, the cheese becomes firmer and drier, and special characteristics such as holes, blue veining and crust formation occurs.

Vegetarian Cheeses

Vegetarian cheeses are made with rennets of non-animal origin. In the past, fig leaves, melon, wild thistle and safflower have all supplied plant rennets for cheese making. However, most widely available vegetarian cheeses are made using rennet produced by fermentation of the fungus Mucor miehei. Vegetarian cheese may also be made using a rennet from the bacteria Bacillus subtilis or Bacillus prodigiosum.

Advances in genetic engineering techniques mean that some vegetarian cheeses may now be made using chymosin produced by genetically engineered micro-organisms. The genetic material (DNA) which encodes for chymosin is introduced into a micro-organism which can then be cultured to produce commercial quantities of chymosin. This is done by extracting genetic material from calf stomach cells which acts as a template for producing the chymosin encoding DNA. This can then be introduced into the micro-organism. Once the genetic material is introduced there is no further need for calf cells. Alternatively, the chymosin encoding DNA can be bio-synthesised in the laboratory without the use of calf cells.

The chymosin produced is identical to that produced by calf stomach cells. The development of genetically engineered chymosin has been encouraged by shortages and fluctuations in cost of rennet from calves. It's manufacturers claim that genetically engineered chymosin will end the cheese making industry's reliance on the slaughter of calves.

Chymosin encoding DNA has been introduced into three different micro-organisms. These are the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis, the fungus Aspergillus niger var awamori, and a strain of the bacteria Escherichia coli. All of these have now been approved and cleared for use by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food. There is no legal requirement for manufacturers to state whether a genetically engineered rennet has been used in the cheese making process.

Vegetarian cheeses are widely available in supermarkets and health food stores. A wide variety of cheeses are now made with non-animal rennet and labelled as suitable for vegetarians. No particular type of cheese is exclusively vegetarian. Soft cheeses are as likely to be non-vegetarian as hard cheese.

Types of Cheese

The type of cheese produced depends on the milk used and the cheese making process. The milk used may be full fat, semi-skimmed or fully skimmed, this affecting the fat content of the cheese. It may be pasteurised or unpasteurised. Milk from different animals and different breeds is important in determining the final flavour. As well as cow's milk, cheese may be made from sheep or goat's milk.

Soft cheeses may be fresh or ripened. Fresh cheeses include quark, cottage cheese and cream cheese. Ripened soft cheeses include Brie and Camembert. Semi-soft cheeses include Stilton, Wensleydale and Gorgonzola. Hard cheeses include Cheddar, Cheshire, and Gruyere. Parmesan is a strongly pressed, very hard, dry cheese ripened for 2-3 years and then grated. Whey cheeses such as Ricotta are made as a by-product of other cheeses from the whey removed during pressing. Processed cheeses are either made with trimmings that are left over from the manufacture of other cheeses, or from dried milk powder. Flavourings, colourings and other additives are used.

Nutritional Aspects

Cheese is a good source of protein, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12. However, full fat cheese is a major source of saturated fat which can lead to raised serum cholesterol levels. Also, it contains no carbohydrate or fibre, and is a very poor source of iron. Vegetarians, particularly new vegetarians, should be wary of too high a consumption of cheese

Vegetarian Society UK Information sheet:
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/cheese.html

An indepth look at t6he ingredients of Vegetarian and non-vegetarian Cheeses
.....worth a read to get a clear understanding of everything.

It is not good business ethics to discount any quarter of a growing market. Could it be that New Zealand's Cheese making companies don't need our business. Maybe they haven't done the maths to understand how many sales they stand to get out of approximately 80,000 people each month on a cinsumer food item that we all buy at least one of each week. That's okay though, there's heaps of variety from cheeses from the UK now coming to the market, maybe this will make locals see that there's a demand that is being met............

The Seventh Day Adventist church say that most of their 11,200 members in New Zealand are vegetarian too.(Adam Sparke, Communication & Public Relations - Assistant, Seventh-day Adventist Church - South Pacific Division), what to speak of the growing numbers of vegetarian Hindus, Buddhists, Hare Krishnas, or those people who just prefer an option of not having to partake of dead left-overs of slaughtered animals in their food.

Cheese: Most  manufacturers use animal rennet (acid from the stomach of slaughtered calves). There are now many smaller manufacturers who use vegetable rennet to produce high quality cheese. These include Koromiko,Tararua and Bouton d'or (Puhoi Valley Cheese Co) plus several more. Wholesale prices for Koromiko and Tararua vege rennet cheeses are the same as their animal based varieties.

Veg Soc on Rennet in cheese:
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/cheese.html

Rennet and coagulating substances - veg or non-veg:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/healthinfo/rennet.html

The history of rennet in cheeses:
http://www.therepertoire.com/cheese/history.htm
 
 

Here you will find a list of Vegetarian cheese products that are free from animal rennet and available here in New Zealand.

This is their Wensleydale, try their Red Leicester, Double Goucester, Stilton also. There are many, BUT look out for the Vegetarian Society's endorsement "Suitable for Vegetarians" mark on the packet with the V, this means it's made with vegetarian rennet.

NOTE: not all their cheeses are okay for us, some have Port in, and some chives, etc.

WWW - Unfortunately their web-site doesn't get as much attention as the production of these first class cheeses. However, if one surfs the www there are a huge number of sites glorifying Tuxford & Tebbutt cheeses. Here's a little history of the region where these cheeses come from, makes it worth paying the little extra that they cost.

Now available in Woolworths, PakNSave, and other Supermarkets throughout New Zealand.

Here's the one's we bought...........

Vegetarian parmesan cheese!

Talbot Forest cheeses confirm: “All of our cheeses manufactured at Talbot Forest Cheese are made with Vegetable rennet including the parmesan at Moore Wilsons supermarkets. I'm sure the Vegetarian society will be pleased to learn this.”

Email: talbot.forest@inspire.net.nz
WWW

16 Talbot Street
Geraldine 8751
Tel. (03) 693-1111
Fax: (03) 693-9900

Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 10:21:22 +1200
From: "rasa.productions" <rasa.p@paradise.net.nz>

Hari bol Prabhu,

I was in Geraldine recently and discovered a company there called Talbot Forest Cheese that makes all vege rennet cheese and a wide variety including Paremsan, amazing cheeses!

I thought you might be interested, have you heard of them before?

Here's their details:

76G Talbot St, Geraldine. Ph. 03 693-111 e-mail: talbot.forest@inspire.net.nz

They have a wee store in the centre of town which is also where they make their cheeses, good prices too.

Bhakti
Rasa Productions
http://www.rasa.p.webbase.net.nz
musician/audio technician/web designer

 http://www.kapiticheeses.co.nz/kapiti/classification.asp
Here you will find an explanation of each of the Kapiti range of cheeses. As mentioned in the much appreciated letter from Aaron they carry a wide range of cheeses of all kinds, many of which suit our needs as vegetarians.

Dear Jaya

Thank you for your request regarding vegetarian cheeses.

All cheeses manufactured by Kapiti use only vegetarian rennin and are therefore deemed vegetarian.
(JTC's note: not all that holds a Kapiti label is produced by Kapiti, and so is not necessarily vegetarian - can be misleading eh)

We do however source non vegetarian products from international and domestic suppliers to offer the largest cheese range in New Zealand.
(JTC's note: in fact many of the cheeses found carrying Kapiti labels fall in this non-vegetarian category)

We currently offer a mail-order service from our retail shops and via credit card sales over the phone.

We would endorse a link to our web site www.kapiticheeses.co.nz

We have a parameter set in this site to show vegetarian cheeses over the entire range on offer. A list of these would cover 200+ variants.
(JTC's note: we went through their web-site and compiled a list from Kapiti's vegetarian listing for you, the rest you can avoid.)
 

"We don't manufacture any Parmesan cheeses currently."
Twineham Grange Vegetarian Parmesan is made using vegetarian rennet. (http://www.kapiticheeses.co.nz/kapiti/faq.asp)

Please do not hesitate to call me if I can offer further assistance.

Aaron Grooby
Affineur
Kapiti Cheeses Ltd

http://www.kapiticheeses.co.nz/kapiti/contact.asp

Besides our "mail-order service" (suggest we add in our phone numbers rather than rely on the link) our range of cheeses is widely available in all good supermarkets, delis and many cafés and restaurants.  If not available - please ask.

Kapiti Cheeses Ltd
te Tihi Pataka
57 Te Roto Drive
P.O. Box 122
Paraparaumu 6450
New Zealand

Telephone 64 4 297-0329
Email kcl@kapiticheeses.co.nz

What is different in a vegetarian cheese?
The setting agent used in the basic cheesemaking process is, usually calf rennet. This is an enzyme found in the stomach of calves and makes the cheese unsuitable for vegetarians.

Other options are available however, and Kapiti cheeses uses a milk coagulant called Fromase, that is produced by the fermentation of a strain of fungus called Rhizormucor miehei. This means that Kapiti cheeses are suitable for vegetarians. It is generally impossible to tell whether a cheesemaker has used rennet or Fromase, and especially so in cheeses that are not aged.

‘Vegan cheese’ is a misnomer, as by definition cheese is made from milk, an animal product.

Kapiti’s vegetarian cheeses are also suitable for Halal use and Fromase is Kosher certified.
http://www.kapiticheeses.co.nz/kapiti/faq.asp#eight

Kapiti Cheeses (Kapiti Cheeses Ltd)

GE Status: Green
http://www.greenpeace.org.nz/truefood/proddetail.asp?AisleID=7&ProuctID=1645

Kapiti Cheeses Ltd response:
"...To the best of our knowledge (with supplier assurance) all our products do not contain genetically engineered organisms or products derived from them..." - Ross McCallum (Executive Director) 11 April 2002

PO Box 122
Parapararaumu 6450
New Zealand

FAQ -
http://www.puhoicheese.co.nz/index.php/pi_pageid/47

Are Puhoi Valley cheeses suitable for vegetarians?
All Puhoi Valley cheeses,are made from Vegetable rennet, making them suitable for vegetarians. The exception to this is the Puhoi Valley Parmesan.

Our vegetarian cheeses are :
Edam
Reduced fat Leyden
Herb
Feta
Herbfeta
Kwark

They might be in the special display area rather than in the mass of other cheeses/dairy.

Please let me know which area you are shopping, so I can tell you where we sell our products
Regards

Karin mailto:info@karikaas.co.nz

M a t a t o k i   F a r m   C h e e s e . . .

. . . Is a local farmhouse industry situated 12 kilometres from Thames, New Zealand.

You will be able to taste the difference of the fresh products made direct from the farm.

After three years of operation, the variation of cheeses manufactured has grown to around 20. From different times in the season there becomes some unique flavours, such as the Golden Gouda, with its creamy, slightly sour taste, sweet Marsdam and swiss style cheeses, the all year round production of soft cheeses like traditional brie, feta, quarks and now famous greek yoghurt.

Try sheep (ewes milk) cheeses, these are a great alternative for allergy sufferers, easily digested, very high in protein and low in cholesterol.

All soft cheeses and some of the semi hard cheeses are made with vegetable rennet, which is great news for vegetarians.

All products are made from Fresh whole milk, the cows on the farm are now treated with homeopathics with a slow but steady move into organic/biodynamic farming methods.

Our aim is to supply a healthy - but still affordable, product.

 Gibbston Valley Cheese is made in the small factory just behind the shop. Using traditional methods, our cheese is all hand-made, giving us maximum control over the small batches we make daily.

Many of the styles are still made the way they were decades ago and we are committed to following these traditions to produce styles that complement wines and match with local regional flavours.

The combination of cheesemaking and winemaking is unique in New Zealand. This allows us to experiment, match and compare flavours.

Some of our cheese styles are rare in New Zealand. Look to our serving suggestions to help you fully enjoy the combination of these and other wonderful Central Otago products.

· Vegetarian rennet is used in all our cheese
· All ingredients are GM free

Dear Jaya

All our cheeses contain vegetable rennet except Windsor Blue, Moeraki Bay Blue and Totara Tasty.

Our Island Stream pecorino style cheese can be used in the same manner as parmesan.  It has a wonderful flavour and is especially good for grating onto pasta or shaving onto salads.

Have a look at our website at www.whitestonecheese.co.nz if you have not done so already.  We can courier orders overnight anywhere in New Zealand.

Regards
Toni Renalson

3 Torridge Street, P.O. Box 67
Oamaru, South Island, New Zealand
Telephone: +64 3 434-8098 · Facsimile: +64 3 434-8011
E-mail: info@whitestonecheese.co.nz
 

NOTE: from JTCd, the Parmasan type is sheep cheese

The Northumberland Cheese Company
http://www.northumberland-cheese.co.uk/pages/home.htm
Who state " ...you can now find Northumberland Cheese made to traditional methods (using vegetarian rennet ... the finest cheese to most of the world - from New Zealand.

http://www.zanyzeus.co.nz/index.html

129 Randwick Road, Moera, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Phone/Fax: (04) 939 0123 (24 hours)  Mobile: (025) 263 8469
Email: mike@zanyzeus.co.nz

http://www.riverterracefarm.co.nz/

Veronica Haddy & Roger Frazer
Address: Wairau Valley, RD1
Blenheim, New Zealand
Phone: +64 3 572 2537
Fax: +64 3 572 7237
Email: riverterrace@quicksilver.net.nz

Vegan Cheese ( http://www.i-send.info/host/10/index.html?vegeupdate_22.html~mainFrame )

Cheddar style, made by SoyKing, using a vegetable based lactic acid. It's about $9. Visit the website
Huckleberry Farms stock it in Auckland, Dunedin New World plan to stock it, and the Opawa Bio shop in Christchurch.

Commonsense Organics in Wellington, Lower Hutt and Paraparaumu stock it. Also Homestead Health in Cuba St. Wellington.

A vegan commented: "It melts fairly good - I've grilled it on toast before." Visit the Huckleberry Farms Website http://www.huckleberryfarms.co.nz/

Commonsense organics has 'Kingland' soy cheese, and they also have their own brand of vegan parmesan cheese (made from cashews).

Three shops in Wellington (and they have an online shop): Commonsense organics website

Thank you for contacting the Kraft Foods website.
All Kraft processed cheese products manufactured in Australia contain animal rennet with the exception of the Philadelphia Cream Cheese products (block, tub, dips) which contain microbial rennet (non-animal) and are suitable for vegetarians.

Regards
KRAFT CONSUMER ADVISORY SERVICE
 

The Kraft product Vegemite is vegetarian too.

(Vegemite as being different from Marmite, read about the differences here )

Kraft foods open experiments through their products:
http://www.freerangegraphics.com/krafted

Sadly this company dissolved Koromiko (no more Tasty, Monteray etc), and Tararua cheese companies, as well as Anchor vegetarian cheese.

Mainland who is essentially the giant conglomerate Fonterra http://www.newzealandmilk.com/brands/  "Co-operative Group"

Vegetarian Range of Cheeses:
Mainland Vegetarian Mild
Mainland Vegetarian Colby
Mainland Vegetarian Edam
Mainland Organic Vegetarian cheese (this is first class cheese)
Blue Brie Cheeses:
Cracker Blue
Captain Bays Blue
Blue Brie
Cambozola
Bleu de Montagne (Midi)
Double Cream Blue Brie
Blue Cheese:
Creamy Blue
Bleu de Montagne (Bulk)
Double Cream Blue
Shades of Blue
Maestro Blue

None of their Block Cheese, Block Cheddar, Cheddar Masters Range, White Mould Cheese are Vege friendly

Other Vege friendly products include:
Fresh White Milk:
Farmhouse (Whole) Milk
Naturalea Organic Milk
Family (Homogenised) Milk
Balance (Reduced Fat) Milk
Trim (Non Fat) Milk
Xtra Trim Milk
Enriched White Milk:
Calci Trim Milk
Calci Kids Milk
Flavoured Milk:
Natures Energy Flavoured Milk
Natures Energy UHT Flavoured Milk
Fresh Liquid Cream:
Fresh Liquid Cream:
Sour Cream:
Tararua Lite Sour Cream (....now safe for vegetarians)
(others not suitable)
Cream Cheese:
Meadow Fresh Spreadable Cream Cheese
Lite Cream Cheese
Traditional Cream Cheese
Galaxy Gourmet Cream Cheese Spreads
Cottage Cheese:
Lite Cottage Cheese
Regular Cottage Cheese
Dairy Foods:
Dairy Food
Custard
Longlife (UHT) Milk:
Standard Homogrnised Longlife Milk
Reduced Fat Longlife Milk
Low Fat Longlife Milk
Cultured Buttermilk:
Taraua Cultured Buttermilk
Fruit Beverages:
Sunspray Fruit Juice
Cool Change Fruit Drink
Butter:
Natural Creamery (Salted) Butter
Natural Creamery (Unsalted) Butter
Butter Spreads:
Semi-soft
Prepack Margerine
Southern Blend
Yoghurt:
Naturalea Organic Yoghurt
Meadow Fresh Acidophilus
Naturalea Herbal Yoghurt
(All other yoghurts are unsuitable)

GE Status: Green
http://www.greenpeace.org.nz/truefood/proddetail.asp?AisleID=7&ProuctID=2364

Mainland Dairy response:
"Please be assured that our company philosophy of non-GMO/GM free embraces all ingredients and their derivatives and thus includes feed stocks. To the best of our inquiries feed is NZ sourced, The NZ dairy industry is pasture based and New Zealand pasture is GM-free." "I can confirm that the rennets we use have been certified by our suppliers as being from non-GE derived sources." - Sheena Henderson, General Manager, Dairy Division

PO Box 397

Dunedin
New Zealand
021 870 469

The Vegetarian Society approves Twineham Grange Italian Style Cheese
http://www.vegsoc.org/press/aprv34.html

Vegetarians can now enhance their favourite pasta dishes with an authentic tasting Italian style cheese. Approved by The Vegetarian Society, Twineham Grange Italian Style Premium Cheese contains only natural ingredients full of calcium and protein. This Italian Style Premium Cheese is perfect for adding an extra something to your vegetarian pasta dishes without adding any animal rennet.

Twineham Grange Italian Style Premium Cheese is a medium fat cheese with a pleasant and uniform yellow colour. The texture is thick and crumbly, its taste and fragrance are sharp and scented, and Vegetarian Society approval ensures that vegetarians everywhere can enjoy its taste without compromising their palates or their consciences. Based in 400 acres of farmland in the heart of Sussex, Twineham Grange Farms are the only premium quality vegetarian Italian style cheese producers in the UK maintaining traditional methods. Twineham Grange Italian Style Premium Cheese is available from selected supermarkets, delis and farm shops and online at www.tgfonline.com

The Vegetarian Society's 'approved trademark ' was established in 1969. Since then it has become the most widely recognised and trusted stamp of vegetarian approval anywhere in the world. The symbol can be found on a huge range of products, including retail food and drinks, catering supplies, household goods, cosmetics and toiletries.

The strength of the symbol is based on products meeting the following criteria:
Products must be free from all meat, poultry, fish, shellfish and crustacea.

Products must not contain slaughter by-products such as gelatine or animal fat.

Any eggs used in the product must be free-range.

Approval will only be granted to products or ingredients not tested on animals since 1986.

Approval will not be given to genetically modified ingredients as these are likely to have been tested on animals.

The Society also requires that cross contamination does not occur between vegetarian and non-vegetarian products during food production. No other symbol gives consumers such reassurance and inspires the trust that comes from the Vegetarian Society approved symbol.

The Vegetarian Society is the oldest vegetarian organisation in the world. It offers an independent voice to promote and provide information on vegetarianism.

Notes for editors

For more information / colour separation enquiries about Twineham Grange Italian Style Premium Cheese please contact Mario Barba at Twineham Grange Farms on:
Tel.01444 881 394 or 07712 195121
Email.mario@tgfonline.com

For more information about The Vegetarian Society (Registered Charity No. 259358) please contact Kerry Bennett, Press Officer, on 0161 925 2012 (kerry@vegsoc.org)

Out of office hours The Vegetarian Society Press Office can be contacted on 07973 108165 or visit www.vegsoc.org, where you will also find over 500 delicious recipes.

Press Officer press@vegsoc.org
For the latest Vegetarian Society press releases visit www.vegsoc.org
The Vegetarian Society
Direct line - 0161 925 2012
Fax 0161 926 9182
Registered Charity: 259358

Some correspondence:
 

Hi,

I was just looking at your website and thought I'd bring to your attention that the evil Mainland Products have changed the ingredients of Tararua Lite sour cream, replacing the vegie friendly thickener with halal gelatine.  So much for nachos for dinner...

Cheers
Yolanda

JTCd's response:
See our footnote to this as it's coming back in a short time as vege friendly (Fiona and Pam from NZ Vegetarian Soc)
" ... they have said that due to public pressure, they have decided to reinstate a veg sour cream and will be coming up with new packaging etc. She [Tararua] said the "loud voices" have won ! However, we still need people to ring up and state their opinion - the phone no. is 0800 243 373 and it is the Mainland based in Christchurch (we normally deal with the one in Dunedin)."

There is another sour cream that is available, you'll need to get your local shop to stock it in the interim period - Cyclops organic sour cream, but not all supermarkets have it. (Saci dd CHCH 7th April 2004)

Old correspondence update: as Tararua lite sour cream is now okay for vegetarians

New Zealand is known as a clean green country that produces top-quality food. Almost half the homes in New Zealand have one of these Yogurt Makers . Now you can eat the same yogurt New Zealanders do, made from top quality New Zealand milk powder: yogurt fresh as fresh can be.

The Easiyo Yogurt Maker is the only Yogurt Maker that guarantees to make perfect yogurt every time!

Hi Jaya,

Many thanks for contacting us.  We wish to inform you that EASIYO Yogurt does not contain gelatine.  Hope this assists.

Kind regards
Maggie Rees
Freshyo Coordinator

Easiyo Products Ltd
P.O.Box 302 321
North Harbour
North Shore City
AUCKLAND
Telephone 09 4144752
Fax 09 4158105
maggie@easiyo.com
webpage www.easiyo.com

The 64 page EasiYo Yogurt Cookbook can show you how EasiYo makes it so easy and economical to eat fresh yogurt everyday! For your own copy go to our website www.easiyo.com

Webmaster's Note:
We have one of their yogurt makers, had it for years, use it all the time, even the thing is battered about it works really well, and we use it every week a few times. JTCd

Dear Jaya

Thank you for your email regarding Hansells Yogit.

We can assure you that there is NO gelatine used in Hansells Yogit.
The milk powder used is from cows milk.

All flavours of Hansells Yogit are suitable for vegetarians.

Kind regards
Barbara Croker
HANSELLS(NZ)LTD

Almost all of the Yoplait yoghurt range contains halal gelatine, and are therefore no longer suitable for vegetarians. This is the result of the sale of the company to an Australian firm, who have changed the recipes to reduce the fat component. I was told that 3% fat yoghurts do not need gelatine, but that this is required for 1% fat yoghurts.

However, there is still some good news.

There is one exception to the gelatine range: Yoplait's Yoplus comes in two flavours: Natural Acidophilus Bifidus & Casei and Vanilla and Honey. Their product spokesperson assured me these don't contain gelatine within their ingredients.

As well as this, I was also told that in August or September this year, they plan to extend the Yoplus range with two new varieties. These are being developed to meet the vegetarian market, a move in direct response to the number of complaints received from vegetarians about the addition of gelatine to the Yoplait range.

The new flavours are not yet confirmed, but could be one citrus and one berry flavour - they are keen to hear whether these sound appealing, and are open to other suggestions.

If you would like to contact them to talk about these developments, you can call their freephone number: 0800 730 732 or write to: Yoplait New Zealand 100 Highbury Avenue Palmerston North.

More

List of Vegetarian cheeses:
 
 

A long list of "Stumbling blocks" for us Vegetarians in commercial products:
A comprehensive list of Products that are clear as being VEGETARIAN from the U.K.

N.O.V.A. labelling...............

Kosher Cheese is NOT necessarily Vegetarian

Cheeses recently taken off the market in NZ

Cheeses recently taken off the market in NZ
Koromiko cheeses  (Marlborough Cheese Co-op.)

They carry a couple of varieties endorsed by the vegetarian Society with their V found in some supermarkets and selected four squares and dairies nationwide.

GE Status: Green
http://www.greenpeace.org.nz/truefood/proddetail.asp?AisleID=7&ProuctID=2495

Marlborough Cheese Co-op. response:
"I am happy to confirm to you that our Koromiko cheeses contain no genetically engineered ingredients."

Blind Creek Road, PO Box 50

Tua Marina
Blenheim
New Zealand
mailto:admin@koromiko.com

Tararua Lite

GE Status: Green
http://www.greenpeace.org.nz/truefood/proddetail.asp?AisleID=7&ProuctID=2489

Mainland Dairy response:
"Please be assured that our company philosophy of non-GMO/GM free embraces all ingredients and their derivatives and thus includes feed stocks. To the best of our inquiries feed is NZ sourced, The NZ dairy industry is pasture based and New Zealand pasture is GM-free." "I can confirm that the rennets we use have been certified by our suppliers as being from non-GE derived sources." - Sheena Henderson, General Manager, Dairy Division

PO Box 397

Dunedin
New Zealand
021 870 469

Latest as of 3rd August 2004:

Dear Jaya

Thank you for your recent inquiry.

I am pleased to inform you that we are altering the receipe of the existing
Tararua Lite Sour Cream to make it suitable for vegetarians. The launch
date for this is 1st September 2004.

We appreciate you taking the time to email us and hope that you continue to
enjoy our products.

Regards
Sheena Saunders - Customer Services Representative
Mainland Producs ltd
PO Box 397, Dunedin

Old correspondence update: as Tararua lite sour cream is now okay for vegetarians (September 2004)

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