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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

I was wondering how many people have resolved to become vegetarians as the horsemeat scandal unfolds. And today it's donkey.

Tags for Forum Posts: horsemeat

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Yes, I worry about that too Ruth. But isn't the Vegetarian Society quite good at checking up on these things? Also, I recently found out that all the Quorn in the world is (apparently) made in two vats based on a single site the UK. Say what you like about Quorn, but can't imagine they have many supply chain issues if that's really the case!

See, I'd like to be able to put my hand on my heart and say I've never eaten a Findus lasagne - I certainly haven't knowingly done so - but who knows what they microwave for public consumption in some cafes where the lasagne is the path of least resistance.  Oh well.

Exactly.  Mislabelling and convenience can apply to both veggie and meat products. We just dont know what we are getting or being served anymore.  

It's full of bits of animal.

Er, in what way?

But not all chocolate, though - just because some chocolate has animal products in it, doesn't mean it is correct to suggest that a vegetarian isn't a proper vegetarian (I'm summarising here, don't jump at my throat) because he/she eats chocolate - plenty of brands/products are veggie and some are vegan.

People love to pick holes when they see others making an effort. Personally I don't know why it has to be so black-and-white, you need definitions of course, but there are always going to be times when you slip up.

Well sure but most vegetarians are aware of the small set of (mostly) Mars products that contain these ingredients. And it is very hard to be a vegetarian and avoid rennet altogether - I will admit that I don't always succeed, but hey, 99% of the time I'm not eating meat so hardly worth losing sleep over is it?

Agree with you completely - unless and until all products are guaranteed meat free, you can never be 100% sure.  If you're a "conscience" vegetarian (which I realise covers lots of different reasons) rather than someone who just doesn't like meat or has a religious or medical reason for not eating meat, then I think it's about intention and if you spent your whole life worrying about whether that lettuce had a tiny bug on it, I personally think it could do you some serious harm!

Of course, there are people who do worry about that tiny bug - I saw a programme once about the Beth Din and the fact that someone is actually employed to inspect Kosher food producers to make sure there are no tiny bugs on the lettuce (and it takes ages) and of course the Jain people have a similar diligence, though for different reasons.

Most Chocolate does not contain either. Gelatine does turn up in quite a few sweets, but not chocolate. Rennet is  used in cheese production.

Vegetarian cheese is available without rennet. I usually ask for it when I buy cheese at the deli counter. 

There really is very little traditional rennet used in the UK though. Even UK-based artisan cheeses have vegetarian rennet most of the time - take a trip to La Fromagerie in Highbury Barn and you'll quickly see that it's almost uniquely French and some other continental cheeses that still use the traditional stuff.

Whilst it is true that its easy to get hold of 'Artisan' cheese from the UK made with veg based rennet, I think it's stretching it a bit to say that this is the case 'most if the time'. Still, like you say there's still lots of it and certainly more than the more classic producers on ze continent.
Old Winchester is a particular favourite and a good stand-in for pamesan (which is only be made with animal rennet).
In its defence, animal rennet is a natural bi-product of the cheese making process as it comes from the veal calves that are surplus to requirements in a dairy herd.

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