Question For The Italian Sikhs Or Those Who Have Visited Italy

[KH4L1$T4N1 16]

Gurfateh ji. Thinking of going Italy this year. One question that has been bugging me is, is the buffalo mozzarella over there suitable for vegetarians? As it seems that's what they use on pizza which would be a staple.

Thanks in advance

[VanHelsingh 1,982]

Wow, I was expecting a really deep question about Sikh immigrants, and Singh came out with a question about cheese! Fair play to that! :lol2:

[luckysingh99 1,195]

Gurfateh ji. Thinking of going Italy this year. One question that has been bugging me is, is the buffalo mozzarella over there suitable for vegetarians? As it seems that's what they use on pizza which would be a staple.

Thanks in advance

Very Nice !!

I've been many times to different parts of Italy, where about are you thinking about ?

Anyway, the buffalo mozzarella is absolutely fine and very nice especially on pizzas !

I believe it is made from the milk that is derived from the buffalo just as we have goats cheese from goat milk...if you drink milk, then it doesn't have to be from a cow does it?

[Mehtab Singh 3,908]

Non c'è assolutamente alcun problema nel formaggio mozzarella consumando. Buon divertimento in Italia!

[MKaur89 108]

It's best to check before you order as different types of cheese may or may not be vegetarian depending on which country you're in. Some types of cheese are made using animal rennet (so they are not suitable for vegetarians) whereas some types are made using vegetarian rennet, which is fine. In supermarkets, you can look out for the vegetarian symbol on the packet, in restaurants or when you're out and about, it's usually best to ask beforehand. Also, parmesan is a popular Italian cheese which is never vegetarian so just be aware.

There's more information here: https://www.vegsoc.org/cheese

[LegalSingh 128]

Gurfateh ji. Thinking of going Italy this year. One question that has been bugging me is, is the buffalo mozzarella over there suitable for vegetarians? As it seems that's what they use on pizza which would be a staple.

Thanks in advance

Actually a very good question. Lets start with an answer in that yes...it would be suitable for 'vegetarians'. But then again alot of things are suitable for vegetarians because strictly speaking 'vegetarians' eat fish etc.....they just don't eat the flesh of other animals (except fish). Your question though is geared towards Sikhs as Sikhs will not eat products made from dead animals. Traditionally, the mozzarella cheese that we get on our pizzas in the west would not be suitable for a Sikh because it has a dead animals stomach lining added to it. Nowadays, however, in most of Europe, a vegetarian rennet is added to make mozzarella. In America and Canada however, a Sikh needs to be extra vigilant because most of the cheese on most of their pizzas is still made using meat rennet.

Anyway....a close relative recently returned from a trip to Italy. He stated how the buffalo 'mozzarella' cheese the Sikhs make out there is not technically buffalo mozzarella at all, in that it isn't exclusively made from buffaloes. Its just that it contains 'some' buffalow milk. That 'some' can even be as little as one tablespoon worth. The rest is cows milk. But as long as there's 'some' it can be called buffallo mozzarella. Thats why the EU have regulations that state the only genuine mozzarella cheese.....i.e the only one that can say 'mozzarella di bufala di campana' on the label, is buffalo mozzarella that comes from the region around Naples. That is not the region where Italy's Sikhs are so you can take it as a given that the real good quality buffalo mozzarella is not made by our brethren out there.

In supermarkets, you can look out for the vegetarian symbol on the packet, in restaurants or when you're out and about

No. The vegetarian 'v' symbol does not mean it doesn't contain meat rennet. When it comes to cheese a Sikh cannot rely on that symbol. You have to go to the source yourself to find out. In the case of the big supermarkets you contact them and they refer back to the source to give you a definitive answer one way or the other. To save your time I've already done that.....the only major supermarket that gave me a definite answer a day or 2 later was sainsburys. Their head office went to the source and told me that their sainsburys brand mozzarella was made 100% from vegetarian rennet.

[luckysingh99 1,195]

Non c'è assolutamente alcun problema nel formaggio mozzarella consumando. Buon divertimento in Italia!

Hey that's real cool ...... :lol2:

Translates to 'absolutely no problem with consuming the mozzarella cheese. Have good fun in Italy'!!

I never knew we had experienced linguists on the forum !

[luckysingh99 1,195]

Actually a very good question. Lets start with an answer in that yes...it would be suitable for 'vegetarians'. But then again alot of things are suitable for vegetarians because strictly speaking 'vegetarians' eat fish etc.....they just don't eat the flesh of other animals (except fish). Your question though is geared towards Sikhs as Sikhs will not eat products made from dead animals. Traditionally, the mozzarella cheese that we get on our pizzas in the west would not be suitable for a Sikh because it has a dead animals stomach lining added to it. Nowadays, however, in most of Europe, a vegetarian rennet is added to make mozzarella. In America and Canada however, a Sikh needs to be extra vigilant because most of the cheese on most of their pizzas is still made using meat rennet.

Anyway....a close relative recently returned from a trip to Italy. He stated how the buffalo 'mozzarella' cheese the Sikhs make out there is not technically buffalo mozzarella at all, in that it isn't exclusively made from buffaloes. Its just that it contains 'some' buffalow milk. That 'some' can even be as little as one tablespoon worth. The rest is cows milk. But as long as there's 'some' it can be called buffallo mozzarella. Thats why the EU have regulations that state the only genuine mozzarella cheese.....i.e the only one that can say 'mozzarella di bufala di campana' on the label, is buffalo mozzarella that comes from the region around Naples. That is not the region where Italy's Sikhs are so you can take it as a given that the real good quality buffalo mozzarella is not made by our brethren out there.

Then the real question will be about all the cheeses, -are they using animal or veg rennet ?/

Maybe having Kosher is the solution ??- IDK, do they use animal rennet ?

[Mehtab Singh 3,908]

Hey that's real cool ...... :lol2:

Translates to 'absolutely no problem with consuming the mozzarella cheese. Have good fun in Italy'!!

I never knew we had experienced linguists on the forum !

http://translate.google.com/

[KH4L1$T4N1 16]

Thanks For the replies. Now for serious questions. Is there problems regarding discrimination/racism in Rome? And how many Sikhs in That city and the location of the gurdwaras in The province of Rome?

[SikhKosh 302]

LegalSingh, a vegetarian who eats fish is called a pescetarian.