05/19/2025
GELATIN
Muhammad Muneeb
Lecturer – RIPS
Definition
• Gelatin or gelatine is a translucent,
colorless, brittle, flavorless food
derived from collagen obtained from
various animal parts
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Gelatinum
Synonyms
Biological Source
• Ox (Bos taurus)
• Sheep (Ovis aries)
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Family Bovidae
Part Used
• Collagen (derived from
skin), with connective
tissue, tendon, ligaments,
and bones
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• The insoluble collagens are converted into soluble
gelatin which is then purified and converted to a solid
form
• Commercially, gelatin is obtained from by-product of
slaughtered cattle, sheep, and hogs
• The starting materials e.g., bones, are defatted with an
Preparation organic solvent
• Sometimes these are decalcified with hydrochloric acid
• The material is then heated with water at 85oC to
convert collagen to gelatin
• The solution is decolorized, filtered by electro-osmosis,
concentrated under reduced pressure, allowed to set in
shallow trays, and dried rapidly in drying-rooms at 30,
40, 50, and 60oC for some weeks
Types
Type A Type B
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Type A
• Derived from acid treated precursor that
exhibits an iso-electric point at pH 9
• Manufactured mainly from pork skin
Type B
• Derived from acid treated precursor that
exhibits an iso-electric point at pH 4 – 7
• Manufactured mainly from animal bones
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Structure
• Contains mostly glycine
(almost 1 in 3 residues,
arranged every third residues),
proline and 4-hydroxyproline
residues.
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Characteristics
• Occurs in thin sheets, strips, or
granular powder
• High grade gelatin is light yellow, semi-
crystalline substance
• Odorless
• Colorless
• In cold water it swells up and slowly
dissolves on warming forming a
viscous solution
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Chemical • Mainly protein glutin, • Lysine
which on hydrolysis gives • Valine
Constituents a mixture of amino acids
like: • Cysteine
• Glycine • Arginine
• Leucine • Adhesive property of
gelatin is due to presence
• Arginine of glutin
• Isoleucine
• Tyrosine
• Glutamic acid
• Alanine
• Aspartic acid
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Uses
• Capsule preparation
• Culture media preparation in bacteriology
• Suppository making
• Source of protein in nutritional
experiments
• Substitute for blood plasma
• Topical protectant (after incorporating
zinc)
• Food products
• Photographic emulsions
• Microencapsulation of drugs
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