What ate the key components of gelatin?

Question

LOL Sorry, I mean what ARE the key components of gelatin?

Answer 1

You can make gelatin from a lot of different things. That being said, the food industry tends to use pork collagen to make gelatin because pork is cheaper.

I'm guessing you are wondering because you want to know if it is halal or not. Well, that depends on who you ask. Some say if it comes from pork it is not halal as it came from pork. Others say it doesn't matter because it takes on such a change that it is no longer pork. I have read about this at a Salafi site. I will look for the specifics of what it said and email it it you.

If you find an immigrant import food store (doesn't have to be Muslim or Arab) you can usually find halal gelatin "jell-o". But I must say they haven't gotten the flavors quite right yet. Finding halal or kosher marshmallows is much easier to do. I have gone to Whole Foods looking for vegetarian gelatin but never found any. I only found vegetarian gelatin at an Indian store once. I also only once found gelatin made from fish.

I'm going to email you if I find that one site again and put some links to some other info. below. Hope it helps you find what you are looking for.

What I don't understand is why, since there are so many Muslims, Jews, Vegetarians, and Vegans in the world it is soooo hard to find gelatin products not made from animals?

Answer 2

Gelatin is a protein produced by partial hydrolysis of collagen extracted from the bones and connective tissues of animals such as the domesticated cattle, pigs and horses. The natural molecular bonds between individual collagen strands are broken down into a form that rearranges more easily. Gelatin melts when heated and solidifies when cooled again. Together with water, it forms a semi-solid colloid gel. Gelatin forms a solution of high viscosity in water, which sets to a gel on cooling, and its chemical composition is, in many respects, closely similar to that of its parent collagen. Gelatin solutions show visco-elastic flow and streaming birefringence. If gelatin is put into contact with cold water, some of the material dissolves. The solubility of the gelatin is determined by the method of manufacture. Typically, gelatin can be dispersed in a relatively concentrated acid. Such dispersions are stable for 10-15 days with little or no chemical changes and are suitable for coating purposes or for extrusion into a precipitating bath. Gelatin is also soluble in most polar solvents. Gelatin gels exist over only a small temperature range, the upper limit being the melting point of the gel, which depends on gelatin grade and concentration and the lower limit, the ice point at which ice crystallizes. The mechanical properties are very sensitive to temperature variations, previous thermal history of the gel, and time. The viscosity of the gelatin/water mixture increases with concentration and when kept cool (≈40°f).

Answer 3

Gelatin is a translucent, colourless, brittle, nearly tasteless solid substance, extracted from the collagen inside animals' connective tissue.

Gelatin is a protein produced by partial hydrolysis of collagen extracted from the bones and connective tissues of animals such as the domesticated cattle, pigs and horses.

Answer 4

Collagen gives it gelatin it's gelling properties.

Answer 5

A Human?