Mars, Twix, etal No Longer Suitable For Vegetarians

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6653175.stm

Though I'm not a vegetarian myself, the knowledge of what they're now doing will put me off their products, pronto. 

how dare they?!?

maltesers?!?!

can a white girl from the midwest launch a jihad?

Though I'm not a vegetarian myself, the knowledge of what they're now doing will put me off their products, pronto. 

Why?

I'll still eat them.....rennant is in cheese, and I'd never give that up! No way!

but I can understand the frustration from vegans/veggies.  Good thing is that there are loads of other chocolate products out there.

I don't eat Mars stuff very often, but I don't think this will really alter my opinion of them. As Marlene said, rennet is used in most cheeses. If you're a cheese junkie, it's likely you've already consumed a hell of a lot of rennet if your lifetime! And there is no way I'm giving up my cheese either! 

I'm with Chary.  If you're a vegetarian that eats cheese, then this is really no different, as rennet is used in many many different types of cheese. And if you're a vegetarian that doesn't eat cheese, chances are you're not eating Mars bars or chocolate either, so this doesn't affect you.

If you're a vegetarian that eats cheese, then this is really no different, as rennet is used in many many different types of cheese.

I do, however, agree that rennet doesn't sound very nice.     But, like a lot of things we eat, sometimes it's best just not to think about it.

Why?

The last paragraph of that article:

"Mars products are very popular with young people and many will be shocked to discover that their manufacture now relies on the extraction of rennet from the stomach lining of young calves," it added.

And okay, so I'm stupid for not knowing, till reading above replies, that rennet is used to make most cheeses...although I wonder now if all those cheeses are made with animal rennet...or if it's only cheeses that are labelled as being Vegetarian that are not made with animal rennet...

or if it's only cheeses that are labelled as being Vegetarian that are not made with animal rennet...

I believe that is the case - unless it is a vegetarian cheese, it probably contains animal rennet.  I know that cheddars do, for sure. 

Yep, it's only cheese labelled as vegetarian that doesn't use animal rennet.

I'm (morbidly) curious as to how someone initially discovered this source/process.

(this is NOT an invitation for a detailed description!!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rennet

I was curious as to the roll of it in my beloved cheese. I will never give up the cheese!!!! 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rennet

I was curious as to the roll of it in my beloved cheese. I will never give up the cheese!!!! 

Thanks, Britwife, for answering my question and thanks Bmore2UK, for the wikipedia link--parts of that entry made me wince, but I found it, all in all, very interesting and informative.

I don't really eat chocolate that often, so m not madly angry, but I am very puzzled.  Most manufacturers are going the other way and making their products veggie friendly, so why on earth are Mars going the other way?  I do like the odd twix, and this will be annoying, but more than that I think it is a bad business decision.

As for rennet, it is in most hard cheeses, so I always buy cheese which clearly states it is suitable for vegetarians.  

On a plus side...I've just stuffed my face with some vegetarian weight watchers chocolate bards which are even nicer than Mars Bars (though bloody expensive!).  So i'll cope!


Vicky

I forgot, of course, there are some cheeses that don't use any kind of rennet at all. I think Feta is one, I can't remember which others off the top of my head.