Gelatin+Activity

Activity: Glatin By Tey Yi Shen Linked from@ACTIVITY

1. In recent years a lot of efforts have been initiated to find new alternatives for gelatin? Why? Gelatin is derived from animals like calf and pork which make an issue on halal. Kosher, and vegetarian, and mad cow disease. On the same time, the demand of gelatin due to its special functional properties is increasing over the year. Other emulsifier like starch, carrageenan, cellulose, could not imitate totally the special functional properties of gelatin. 2. Gelatin is always considered a special/unique ingredient that find many applications in food and non-food industry. Why? Gelatin has unique multiple functional properties, like gelling, prevent crystlissation, emulsifier, foaming agent, binding agent, clarifying agent and more. It a a thermoreversible gel, and the key on this point is, it melts rapidly on 37'C (melting point of gelatin: 27-30’C), which is about the body temperature of human. This assists the releasing of aroma and flavor when we eat the food product contain gelatin, so called “melt in the mouth”.

3. Do you think fish gelatin can be used to replace mammalian gelatin (porcine and bovine) ? Yes, but not 100%, as it is available commercially and can be produced for kkosher. However, the application of fish gelatin need to be considered by manufacturer before using it. Take note that it has sub-optimal functional properties compared to mammalian gelatin, like low gelling and melting temperature, and low gel modulus, lower bloom value.