Application of Edible Gelatin in Food Processing

Edible Gelatin is an important natural polymer substance, which can be partially degraded by collagen. Because of its rich nutritional value and excellent functional characteristics, gelatin has been widely used in food processing industry. At present, Edible Gelatin has been used as emulsifier, foaming agent, clarifying agent, thickening agent and gelling agent. Can be used in dairy products, candy, bakery products, meat products and other food processing. It can improve stability, chewiness, gelling, water retention ability or reduce fat content.

Emulsifier

Edible Gelatin molecular structure has hydrophobic parts and hydrophilic parts. When adsorbed to the oil-water interface, it can reduce the interfacial tension and show emulsification. Gelatin has been used as an emulsifier in dairy products, desserts, baked goods, meat products and low-fat spreads. The emulsifying properties of fish skin gelatin allow it to obtain good plasticity and coating properties at room temperature. Mixed with pectin, a low fat spread can be prepared.

Foaming agent

Foams are an important part of many foods and drinks and can provide foods with special structure, appearance and taste. Food foam due to the low content of external liquid, so the hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions in the edible gelatin endows it with foaming characteristics.

Clarifying agent

Turbidity is easy to occur in the process of beverage and fruit wine, which leads to the deterioration of beverage and fruit wine quality. Using clarifier is one of the good methods to improve the turbidity of beverage and fruit wine. Edible gelatin clarifies through electrostatic interactions with substances with opposite charges in beverages and fruit wines.

Thickener

Thickener refers to a kind of additive which can improve the viscosity of the system and make the system form a stable opacification state or suspension state in a short time. Thickener can form mesh structure or colloid with more hydrophilic groups in solution, so as to improve the viscosity and quality of food, and both stability, water retention and gelation. Edible Gelatin is a thickener from animal raw materials. When dissolved in water, it forms a stable three-dimensional network during cooling, thus increasing the viscoelasticity of food and giving food its unique sensory properties.

Gelling agent

Hydrocolloid in solution can usually combine with water molecules to form a viscoelastic dispersion or gel. The thickening property is common to all hydrocolloids, but only some hydrocolloids can form gels that can capture or fix water molecules in solution. Gels can often give foods unique sensory properties such as elasticity or brittleness, ductility and chewability. Common gelled hydrocolloids include alginate, pectin, carrageenan,edible gelatin and AGAR. Gelatin dissolved in water can form a mutually attractive and interwoven network of layers, and condense with the decrease of solution temperature.