Gelatin
Gelatin is a protein material produced by partial hydrolysis of collagen, the structural protein found in animal connective tissues. It can form gels in water and is used as a food ingredient, stabiliser and coating material. Commercial products differ because both the source tissue and the method of preparation affect their properties.[1]
Production and properties
Manufacture generally begins by treating collagen-rich raw material with acid or alkali, followed by extraction with heated water and purification. Acid-processed gelatin is conventionally called type A, and alkali-processed gelatin type B. The resulting material is not a single uniform molecule: processing produces a mixture whose properties depend on the original collagen and the conditions of extraction.[1]
On cooling, suitable gelatin solutions develop a three-dimensional network that holds water. Gel strength and flow depend on concentration, temperature, acidity and processing history. Gelatin can also form films and foams. These properties account for its use in confectionery, desserts and other manufactured foods, as well as applications outside food production such as photography.[1]
Animal sources and identification
Common raw materials include pig skin, cattle hides and bones; fish material is another source. Origin matters to consumers who follow dietary or religious restrictions, and cannot reliably be inferred from the appearance of a processed gelatin product alone.[2]
Analytical approaches to source identification include protein-based tests, DNA methods and spectroscopic measurements. Processing can alter or fragment the material that a test is intended to detect, while closely related raw materials may have overlapping chemical characteristics. Reliable authentication therefore depends on a method suited to the sample and on appropriate reference materials, rather than on a universal visual test.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Kodjo Boady Djagny, Zhang Wang and Shiying Xu (2001). Gelatin: A Valuable Protein for Food and Pharmaceutical Industries: Review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 41:481–492.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ademola Monsur Hameed and colleagues (2018). A Review of Gelatin Source Authentication Methods. Tropical Life Sciences Research.
Attribution
Adapted with reference to English Wikipedia, revision 1377425290 (contributors and history), under CC BY-SA 4.0. The prose has been rewritten and checked against the cited sources; changes have been made.