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It is a latine
word meaning frozen or stiff, contains 80-90% protein and
is used extensively in the food, pharmaceutical and
photographic industries. Over and above it is also
used in industries as cosmetics, metal refining, paper, plastic
and toiletries.
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Gelatine is derived from collagen, an insoluble fibrous protein
which is the principal constituent of connective tissues
and bones. Collagen is distinctive in that it contains
an unusually high level of the cyclic amino acids proline
and hydroxyproline. Collagen consists of three helical
polypeptide chains wound around each other and connected
by intermolecular cross-links. |
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Gelatine is recovered from collagen by hydrolysis.
There are several varieties of gelatine, the composition of
which depends on the source of collagen and the hydrolytic
treatment used.
The principal raw materials used in gelatine
production today are cattle bones, cattle hides, and porkskins.
Extraneous substances, such as minerals (in the case of bone),
fats and albuminoids (found in skin), are removed by chemical
and physical treatment to give purified collagen. These pre-treated
materials are then hydrolyzed to gelatin which is soluble
in hot water.
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Gelatine recovered from bone is used primarily in photographic
applications: some is used for pharmaceutical purposes.
The so-called green bone from the slaughter of cattle
is cleaned, degreased, dried, sorted, and crushed to
a particle size of about 1-2 cm. The pieces of bone
are then treated with dilute hydrochloric acid to remove
mineral salts. The resulting sponge-like material is
called ossein. |
Cattle hides are available from trimming
operations in leather production. Cattle hides are usually
dehaired chemically with a lime/sulfide solution followed
by mechanical loosening.
Bhopal Gelatines (P)
Ltd. is manufacturing gelatine out of hide/skin trimmings
of cattle's only. |
