Gelatin is extracted by partially hydrolyzing the collagen found in the hides, tendons and bones of pigs, cows and chickens, or from the skin and scales of fish. By utilizing these nutritious and functional raw materials from meat or fish by-products, gelatin helps reduce waste in the food supply chain and supports the circular economy.
So, here’s the short answer: Gelatin is a natural protein derived from collagen, which is why it’s classified as a food ingredient rather than an additive requiring an E number.
Origins of gelatin
The modern gelatin industry has spent centuries refining extraction methods to improve yields, reduce waste enhance quality and safety, expand functions and boost nutritional qualities across sectors.
Read also: The gelatin manufacturing process
It’s a pretty remarkable achievement—one that would no doubt impress our cave-dwelling ancestors, who 8,000 years ago discovered that boiling animal hides and bones created a useful glue for clothes, furniture and tools. Gelatin was born as a man-made substance in the caves of that era.
Centuries later, ancient Egyptians realized that certain bone-based broths, when cooled, could be eaten. And so, 5,000 years ago on the plains of the Nile Delta, gelatin was born as a food. A food with a direct line to the modern-day chicken soup recipes cooked by Grandma to comfort us on cold winter nights!
Read also: History of gelatin
From raw collagen to gelatin
As anyone who has boiled bones for a soup or noticed the jelly-like substance left in the roast chicken or pork baking tray will know, gelatin is released in the jelly or sauce. It’s a natural part of the regular cooking process.
Whenever you cook meat on the bone or with skin, you are essentially processing collagen into gelatin. The gelatin in the roast chicken tray at home is made from the same substances as the gelatin powder used in food products.
That said, industrially hydrolyzing gelatin from raw collagen, as Rousselot does, has benefitted from centuries of refinement, scaling and standardization.
At the industrial scale, each stage of collagen-to-gelatin extraction has been isolated, perfected and governed by strict regulations. These steps include pretreatment, hydrolysis, extraction, filtration, evaporation, drying, grinding and sifting.
Gelatin properties
The result is high-quality gelatin in multiple forms, from soluble powders in industrial applications to gelatin powders or leaves used in domestic cooking worldwide.
These gelatin powders come in a variety of grain sizes, meshes and gel strengths (also known as bloom or viscosities), while maintaining quasi-odorless, flavorless and colorless sensory properties.
In terms of energy, 100 grams of gelatin typically carries about 350 calories.
Gelatin amino acid profile
The gelatin protein contains 18 amino acids, including eight of the nine essential amino acids the human body needs.
Glycine, proline and hydroxyproline are the most common, making up about half of the amino acid content.
Others include alanine, arginine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid.
Gelatin facts
Gelatin: Fake news? Not here. A few facts about gelatin…
- Gelatin is a pure protein, not a fat. While its gelatinous properties and the fact that it melts at 37°C (98.6°F) may make it seem like a fat, it actually gives a mouthfeel similar to full-fat products. Because of this, it is sometimes used to replace fat in products.
- Gelatin is a natural food ingredient and does not require an E number, unlike many artificial additives.
- Gelatin is thermo-reversible. Depending on temperature, it can move between a liquid and gel state without damage.
- Gelatin is animal-sourced and cannot be vegetarian by definition. Vegetarian alternatives are a different ingredient category and do not offer the same sensory properties and diverse functionality as animal-sourced gelatin.
- Gelatin sourced from pigs, cows, chickens and fish is safe, clean label, non-GMO, cholesterol-free, non-allergenic (except fish) and gastro-friendly.
- Gelatin can be halal or kosher.
- Gelatin is a sustainable ingredient that contributes to the circular economy: It is sourced from animal bones and skins, responsibly using all parts of the animal intended for human consumption. Additionally, all by-products from Rousselot operations—whether proteins, fats or minerals—are upcycled into feed, pet food, fertilizer or bioenergy.
- Gelatin’s functionalities include gelling, foaming, film-forming, thickening, water-binding, emulsifying, stabilizing, adhesion and fining.
- In addition to its core uses in food, pharma, nutraceutical, cosmetics and photography, gelatin is also used in medical devices, winemaking, musical instrument manufacturing and more.