Since the FDA approved the first genetically engineered chymosin in 1990, a remarkable transformation has occurred in the cheese-making process in the United States.
Today, approximately 90% of hard cheese produced in the U.S. utilizes this fermentation-produced enzyme instead of the traditional rennet derived from calves' stomachs.
This change represents one of the largest silent ingredient swaps in American food production, impacting both the industry and consumers.