Smart One-Weight Watchers!!Help Needed!!

wishiwerefit
wishiwerefit Posts: 124
in Food and Nutrition
I would like to know if any of the following has meat in its ingredients as I am following a ovo-lacto vegetarian diet..


Sesame Noodles with Vegetables
Ravioli Florentine

I did contact the customer care and all they could say is that the above two is not in their list of guaranteed vegetarian meals and it has some product that is derived from animal enzymes. They didnt say anything about the product having meat or not . Any help please!!

Replies

  • FeatherBoBeather
    FeatherBoBeather Posts: 255 Member
    Ravioli Florentine and Sesame Noodles with Veggies SmartOnes brands are/should be ovo-lacto vegetarian friendly.

    From what I can find, the ingredients are:

    Ravioli:
    Cheese Ravioli (Enriched Durum Flour (Durum Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid], Part Skim Ricotta Cheese [Whey (Milk), Cream, Vinegar, Carrageenan), Water, Whole Egg, Imported Romano Cheese [Sheep's Milk, Bacterial Culture, Salt, Rennet], Bleached Wheat Flour, Modified Cornstarch, Salt, Spice, Dehydrated Parsley Flakes, Soybean Oil), Marinara Sauce (Diced Tomatoes [Tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Citric Acid, Calcium Chloride), Tomato Puree [Tomato Paste, Water], Water, Onions, Sauteed Garlic (Garlic, Soybean Oil with Citric Acid], Spices, Sugar, Salt, Corn Oil [with Citric Acid], Flavor [Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavor], Basil Extract [Soybean Oil, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Flavor], Modified Cornstarch, Concentrated Onion Juice [Onion Juice, Sunflower Oil]), Spinach.

    Sesame Noodles:
    Cooked Enriched Lo Mein Pasta Product (Water, Enriched Pasta Product [Semolina Wheat Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, Wheat Flour, Niacin, Wheat Gluten, Corn Starch, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Salt, Riboflavin, Soy Lecithin, Folic Acid], Carrageenan), Sauce (Water, Tomato Puree [Water, Tomato Paste], Soy Sauce [Water, Wheat, Soybeans, Salt, Alcohol, Vinegar, Lactic Acid], Sugar, Modified Food Starch, Garlic, Roasted Sesame Oil, Ginger, Rice Vinegar, Sesame Seeds, Potassium Lactate, Yeast Extract, Natural Flavor, Spice, Sucralose Concentrate [Water, Sucralose, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate]), Sugar Snap Peas, Broccoli, Carrots, Red Bell Peppers. Contains: Wheat, Soy.

    I'm pretty sure the only reason they are not giving you an 'O.K.' on these two meals are because of the egg/milk products & the definition of 'vegetarian' varies by person. :/ lol One thing is for sure, they are not vegan. :-)

    Hope this helps!
  • kalle9
    kalle9 Posts: 10 Member
    The animal enzymes they refer to would most likely be the rennet listed in the ingredients. As long as you are ok with dairy, I see no meat listed.
  • chickenz
    chickenz Posts: 101 Member
    The Rennet in the cheese is derived from animals
  • FeatherBoBeather
    FeatherBoBeather Posts: 255 Member
    YIKES! I had no idea what rennet was! :(

    "Rennet is an extract from the fourth stomach of young ruminants, such as cows, goats, and sheep. It contains a number of enzymes that are designed to help these animals digest their mother's milk, and when added to milk, it will cause the milk to coagulate, forming the curds and whey that are so essential in the cheesemaking process. Humans have been working with the extract for thousands of years, and it is typically readily available in stores that carry cheesemaking supplies; it can also be made at home, if you happen to have access to the necessary ingredients. For vegetarians and kosher Jews, non-animal alternatives to rennet are available.

    Traditional rennet was made by washing the stomach of a young ruminant after it has been slaughtered, and then salting it. The salted stomach is kept in dried form, with cooks snipping off small pieces and soaking them in water when they have a need for the extract. Some cheesemakers continue to make and use it in this way, but the vast majority use commercially processed rennet, which is made by creating a slurry and then subjecting it to a compound that will cause the enzymes to precipitate out."

    So typical rennet is derived from the body of an animal.... But it may also be created from vegetables if stated as such... Apparently generally termed "rennet" most likely comes from a cow; whereas vegetarian-safe rennet will most likely be labeled as "vegetable rennet"- apparently created from thistles...

    Talk about an eyeopener for my vegetarian knowledge! :sick:
  • wishiwerefit
    wishiwerefit Posts: 124
    Wow!I am overwhelmed!Thank you for your replies!
  • THExNEKOxCHAN
    THExNEKOxCHAN Posts: 134 Member
    There are vegetarian rennets as well. Any home cheese maker can tell you that.

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