Gelatin

=** Gelatin **=

Gelatin (spelled 'gelatine' in some Commonwealth countries from the French //gélatine//) is a translucent, colorless, brittle (when dry), nearly tasteless [|solid substance], derived from the [|collagen] inside animals' skin and bones. It is commonly used as a [|gelling agent] in [|food], [|pharmaceuticals], [|photography], and [|cosmetic manufacturing]. Substances containing gelatin or functioning in a similar way are called //gelatinous//. Gelatin is an irreversibly [|hydrolysed] form of collagen, and is classified as a foodstuff, with [|E number] E441. It is found in some [|gummy candies] as well as other products such as [|marshmallows], [|gelatin dessert], and some low-fat [|yogurt]. Household gelatin comes in the form of sheets, granules, or powder. Instant types can be added to the food as they are; others need to be soaked in water beforehand. Some dietary or religious customs forbid the use of gelatin from certain animal sources, and medical issues may limit or prevent its consumption by certain people.

__**Composition and properties**__
Gelatin is a [|protein] produced by partial [|hydrolysis] of [|collagen] extracted from the boiled bones, connective tissues, organs and some intestines of animals such as domesticated [|cattle], [|pigs], and [|horse]s. The natural molecular bonds between individual collagen strands are broken down into a form that rearranges more easily. Gelatin melts to a liquid 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 viscoelastic 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 freezing 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 (≈ 4 °C).