A Statement on Genetic Modification and the Rennet We Use

Published August 2026

You may have seen claims online that all "non-animal" rennet is genetically engineered. That's not true — and it's certainly not true of what we use. Both rennets used in our cheesemaking are confirmed and declared free from any genetic modification.

Not all rennet is the same

When people say "rennet," they might mean any of a few quite different things, and the claims doing the rounds online tend to blur these together:

Animal rennet — the traditional enzyme coagulant, taken from the stomach lining of young calves, which we avoid so our cheeses are suitable for vegetarians.

Microbial rennet — a natural enzyme, grown by fermenting naturally occurring fungi. No genetic engineering is involved; this has been done safely for decades, dating back to the last century.

Fermentation-produced chymosin — a naturally replicated version of the same enzyme found in calf rennet. Some manufacturers may use genetically modified organisms to make this; we certainly don't.

What's in our Whitestone Cheese?

We use two types of rennet, depending on the cheese being made.

1. Microlant Rennet

A microbial coagulant grown from a naturally occurring fungus. No genetic modification is used in producing it, and none of its ingredients come from any GM sources.

2. Chy-Max Special

A natural fermentation-produced enzyme, molecularly identical to the clotting enzyme found in traditional calf rennet — an excellent-performing rennet that lets us replace animal-based rennet entirely.

Both are sourced directly from Chr. Hansen (now Novonesis), a trusted, internationally certified ingredient supplier, and are confirmed and declared non-GM. The company's rennet-making history dates back to 1874, when Danish pharmacist Christian Hansen founded what became Chr. Hansen after developing the world's first industrial rennet extract for cheesemaking.

Our promise to you

Based on this supplier confirmation, we can say plainly: the rennet we use is strictly free from genetic modification. If you'd like to see the documentation behind this statement, or have any other questions about what goes into our cheese, just get in touch — we're always happy to talk about our natural ingredients.

This statement is based on documentation and assurances provided by our enzyme supplier, Novonesis, and reflects our ingredients as currently supplied.

Questions: info@whitestonecheese.co.nz