Non-organic Carriers and Enzymes

Can a non-organic carrier, not present on the PSL, be used with a non-organic enzyme to make cheese?

By Cesar Cartagena

Organic cheese production is a complex process involving specific inoculations of microbes and enzymes at several stages. These additions establish specific pH levels to create the desired consistency and taste for the type of cheese produced. There are six basic steps in cheese production: acidification, coagulation, separation, salting, shaping and ripening. During the coagulation step, the liquid milk solidifies with the use of milk-clotting enzymes. Chymosin (also known as “rennin” or “rennet”) is a commonly used enzyme in the coagulation step of cheese production, which itself requires the use of a carrier (such as cellulose) to facilitate the uniform incorporation and function of the enzyme at this stage. The commercial availability of organic enzymes and carriers may be limited, however. 

In Canadian organic production, the Permitted Substances List (PSL) entries for Enzymes in Table 6.3 (Food additives) and Table 6.5 (Processing aids) state that enzymes “[…] derived from animals—shall be organic if commercially available: rennet […].” According to the Standards Interpretation Committee, non-GE chymosin extracted from non-organic calf stomach linings is permitted, providing an organic source is not commercially available. Carriers have their own PSL entries on Tables 6.3 and 6.4, which describe a similar use restriction: “[…] non-organic carriers of agricultural origin (such as wheat starch) may be used if ingredients or processing aids containing organic carriers are not commercially available.” Given the information above, it appears that it is permissible to use non-organic carriers with non-organic enzymes to produce organic cheese, if no organic sources are commercially available.

Chymosin works best in its milk-clotting function when combined with a carrier. In this case, if a non-organic enzyme is to be used compliantly in organic cheese production along with a carrier, the carrier must be listed in the Tables 6.3, 6.4 or 6.5 if agricultural. However, if the carrier is non-agricultural, it may not need to be considered, based on CAN/CGSB 32.310 §9.1.2. This section of the standard states that sub-parts of non-agricultural ingredients listed in PSL Tables 6.3 and 6.4 do not need to be evaluated if they do not have a functional effect on the final product and are not declared on the product label.

Additional requirements outlined in §6.2.1 of the PSL must be addressed if the production of allowed chymosin products involves the use of substrates or growth media. Section 6.2.1 states that: “if the substance includes the substrates or growth media, the substrates or growth media ingredients shall be listed in Table 6.3, 6.4 or 6.5.” Please consult with your certifier before proceeding with the production of organic cheese or any other organic product involving milk-clotting enzymes such as chymosin.

This article was originally published in the winter 2023 edition of the OMRI Materials Review newsletter, and was reviewed and updated in June 2024 by Research and Education Manager Peter Bungum.