Gelatin (lat.: gelare = to solidify, stiff) is a natural food, it is transparent, odorless and tasteless and is used in many applications. Gelatine consists of 80 to 90 % protein. The remaining components are water and mineral salts. The Egyptians were the first to produce gelatinous substances. At the time of Napoleon, gelatin was of great use to the French. During the blockade by England, they used gelatin as a vital source of protein.
Processing and preparation of gelatin
Gelatin is produced from collagen, which is obtained from bones, cartilage, tendons, and skin of farm animals, among other sources. After a complex procedure of processing (purification, extraction and heating), a yellowish powder remains, which finds a variety of applications.
Food industry powder
Gelatin is used, for example, as a gelling agent and thickener. Gummy bears, jelly, cake icing and aspic are made from gelatin. Dairy products such as yogurt, low-fat cream cheese and cottage cheese, sweets and a wide variety of desserts can contain gelatin.
The beverage industry also benefits from its use. Cloudy substances in wine and fruit juices are removed with its help. This process is called “clarifying” or “fining”. The subsequent filtration process frees most of the gelatin from the beverage again.
Gelatin in the pharmaceutical industry
Capsules of pharmaceuticals are made of gelatin. Furthermore, it is used in suppositories, emulsions and as a substitute for blood plasma.
Osteoporosis and osteoarthritis
There is evidence that gelatin can have beneficial effects in the treatment of osteoarthritis. One gelatin variant in particular, water-soluble collagen hydrolysate, is used here in the form of dietary supplements.
Regular use can potentially reduce joint pain and increase mobility. The same is true for osteoporosis. Progressive bone loss can be curbed. However, the effect of gelatin or collagen hydroysate is controversial.
BSE and gelatin
It is well known that gelatin is also produced from parts of cattle and not only from pigs. So it is natural that one or the other asks the question whether the consumption of the delicious gummy bear is possibly too risky. Experts say no: gelatine is safe. For one thing, gelatine is not made from BSE risk material, and for another, any pathogens that might be present would be killed off by the process of processing. The World Health Organization (WHO) supports this opinion.
Vegetarian substitute
Many vegetarians, as well as some “meat eaters,” would like to avoid consuming gelatin. Since gelatin is contained as a powder in so many products, this is not always easy. However, the industry already offers vegetarian substitutes. Like the “vegetarian gummy bear”, where starch is used instead of gelatine. Although gelatine cannot be “fully” replaced, since the gummy bears have a different consistency, they still taste good.
In addition to starch products, other substitutes include alginates (e.g., agar agar) and pectins, which are also a vegetable option and thus the “vegetarian” version. Here are some examples:
- Pectin: Obtained from the cell walls of various fruits, especially apples. Is suitable for gelling, for example, for the production of jam and cake icing.
- Agar Agar: Is obtained from marine algae and plays a major role especially in medicine as a breeding ground for bacteria. It is also ideal for the preparation of aspics and jellies.
- Carrageenan: Also known as “Irish moss”, is obtained like agar agar from marine algae. Use it, among other things, in the manufacture of ice cream and cakes.
- Sago: Is obtained from the sago palm, but can also be isolated from potatoes. It is whitish, granulated starch, which can be used to thicken sauces and soups.
