The Role of Gelatin in Food Structure

Gelatin is derived from collagen, which is widely present in animal skin, tendons and bones, and is a protein that is partially hydrolyzed from collagen in animal connective tissue or epidermal tissue. Gelatin is widely used in food. The production of meat products, meat fillings, frozen meat, candy, ice cream, yogurt products, beer clarification and other foods is inseparable from edible glue colloidal gelatin. In food processing, gelatin materials can be used as gelling agents, stabilizers, emulsifiers, thickeners and foaming agents. Because of it, food has a richer flavor, texture and appearance.

1. Gelatin material does not exist in nature, it is a derivative of collagen fibres

Collagen is the main component of various animal skin, bones and other connective tissues. Gelatin is a hydrolyzed product of collagen, which can be obtained by heating and hydrolyzing animal skin or bones. The bulk gelatin for sale is derived from collagen, which is widely present in animal skin, tendons and bones, and is a protein that is partially hydrolyzed from collagen in animal connective tissue or epidermal tissue.

Gelatin and water can form thermoreversible gels, similar to agar, algal gel and pectin, but unlike them, gelatin has a lower melting point, very close to human oral temperature. In addition, gelatin jelly does not crystallize in warm but insoluble syrup, and the jelly can be reconstituted after crushing or heating to dissolve. Therefore, gelatin jelly is more elastic than seaweed jelly and pectin jelly.

Gelatin jelly hardly dehydrates and shrinks, nor does it fall out of candy moulds as easily as agar and pectin. Therefore, edible gelatin supplements are widely used in the confectionery industry. Adding edible gelatin to toffee, premium toffee, chewing gum, fondant, and fondant can significantly improve the chewing performance, making these candies tough and non-sticky, and the taste remains in the mouth for a longer time. Taking advantage of this property, gelatin is also widely used in canned meat, ham, sausage, beef jellies, minced meat, meat rolls and other foods.

2. In addition to the gelling agent, the gelatin material is also a stabilizer

Gelatin not only produces foam but also stabilizes the foam so that other substances are evenly distributed in the gelatin solution without precipitation or precipitation. Edible gelatin can be used not only as an emulsion stabilizer but also as a protective colloid for microfoams and suspended solids. Edible gelatin supplements help to form oil-in-water emulsions, which have the effect of emulsifying oils, which can emulsify the oils of meat products and maintain their original properties. Using the emulsifying properties of edible gelatin, the fat in meat products can be formed into an emulsion, making the soup thick, not greasy in the mouth, easy to digest and rich in nutrients.

3. The edible gelatin material in the solution can inhibit the crystallization of sugar or make the resulting crystal smaller

Generally, adding about 1% edible gelatin to 70% syrup can completely inhibit the growth of sugar crystals. In ice cream production, edible gelatin is used as a stabilizer to prevent the formation of coarse ice crystals and to reduce the melting rate of ice cream. In addition, the emulsification and freezing effect of edible gelatin can make ice cream soft and delicate. Edible gelatin is also widely used as a whipping agent, which is more convenient and simpler than mixing egg white and milk protein, so it is often used in production. The gelatin used produces a lot of foam when vigorously stirred, these foams can remain unfused and unbreakable for a long time, and are a good food foaming agent for making marshmallows. Edible gelatin can also be used as a binder. In the production of confectionery or pastries, the adhesion of edible gelatin can make multi-layered candies or cakes. High-transparency edible gelatin can also be made into various shapes by wrapping various candies or cakes, just like wearing a layer of transparent clothing, and can also be covered with a layer of granulated sugar if desired.

In addition, edible gelatin materials can be used to clarify products such as fruit juices, wines and vinegars. It can quickly react with tannins and similar substances inherent in the product or added to form a flocculation precipitate. After standing, the mixture in the product settles, and then the precipitate is removed by filtration to achieve the purpose of clarification.

As one of the professional bulk gelatin suppliers in China, SEMIX provides varied gelatin products for food industries. Feel free to contact us at any time.