Frequently Asked Questions
What is Gelatin?
Gelatin is a protein derived from hides or bones possessing unique gelling and thickening properties. Gelatin is a natural product, which is classed as a food and not as an additive. It is derived from collagen protein contained in the skins or bones of animals. It is the only natural protein of commercial importance capable of producing clear thermo reversible gels in water, at near to body temperature.
Gelatin is a truly versatile product, with the ability to gel, stabilize, emulsify, aerate and bind while adding enhanced texture and mouth feel in food products. Gelatin is compatible in most systems with other ingredients used in the food industry, i.e. sugars, starches, gums, seasoning, coloring, and flavoring. Edible gelatin is low in calories, but is a valuable, safe and easily digested form of protein, making it ideal for dietetic applications.
What does gelatin look like?
Gelatin is typically produced in a powdered or granulated form. Slightly yellow to light tan in color, it is a rather tasteless and odorless substance.
How is gelatin used?
Gelatin has traditionally been used in three major areas: food,
pharmaceutical, and photographic industries.
Gelatin use in the food industry is probably best recognized
in gelatin desserts and confectionery applications such as
marshmallows and gummi candies. It is also used as a binding and/or
glazing agent in meats.
In the pharmaceutical health industry, gelatin is used to
make the shells of hard and soft capsules for medicines,
dietary/health supplements, syrups, etc. It is highly digestible and
serves as a natural protective coating for medications.
The unique chemical and physical properties of gelatin make it an
important component in the photographic industry. Gelatin
serves many useful purposes in the preparation of silver halide
emulsions in the production of photographic film.
What are the additional uses of
gelatin in the edible market?
Here is a short list of products in which gelatin is present:
• Dairy – ice cream, sour cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, cream pies
• Desserts – jellied desserts, puddings, frostings
• Confectionery – gum drops, lozenges, wafers, candy cigarettes,
marshmallows, fruit snacks, gummi snacks
• Other – consommé soups, sauces
Does gelatin have a shelf life?
If kept in its original container at ambient humidity and a controlled temperature, gelatin can last five years. This has more to do with degradation of the packaging than the deterioration of the gelatin.
What is "Bloom"?
Bloom is a measure of the gel strength of a particular type of gelatin indicating the firmness of the set gel. Different bloom strengths are required for different applications and must be considered together with other performance characteristics when selecting a suitable grade of gelatin.
What other tests are run on
gelatin?
There are a number of other physical tests run on gelatin: pH,
moisture, viscosity (how thick the liquid gelatin is at a standard
temperature), ash content, and heavy metals (e.g., lead) are a few
of the more common ones.
Great care is taken in the gelatin plant to produce a pure, clean
product. A number of microbiological tests are run to ensure the
wholesomeness of the gelatin. At a minimum, microbiological tests
are run on Total Plate Count, Salmonella, E. Coli and Total
Coliforms.
