What is gelatin made from?
Gelatin is derived on a commercial scale in the United States today from, (in order of predominance), pigskins, cattle bones, and cattle hides. A very small percentage used today is from fish bones and skins. It is an animal protein with many functional properties in food applications such as a gelling agent, a thickener, an emulsifier, a whipping agent, a stabilizer, and substance that imparts a smooth mouth feel to foods. Gelatin is often used in confectionery, such as gummy bears and marshmallows; desserts including Jell-O®; “lite” or low-fat foods including some margarines; and dairy products such as yogurt and ice cream. Gelatin is also used in hard and soft gel capsules for the pharmaceutical industry. Gelatin is always animal-derived although there are several all-vegetable gelatin alternatives available today that may be erroneously referred to as “vegetable gelatin” or something similar.
