Gelatin is a natural protein with unique and diverse physicochemical properties that enable its broad application across food, pharmaceutical, and industrial sectors.
Primarily, gelatin exhibits thermoreversible gelling behavior: it dissolves when heated and forms a semi-transparent gel upon cooling. This phase transition makes it an excellent gelling agent, effectively modifying texture and structure in food products.
It also demonstrates superior emulsifying properties, stabilizing oil-water mixtures to enhance product uniformity and stability. Additionally, gelatin possesses excellent foaming capacity, contributing to the light texture of candies and baked goods.
Gelatin has notable adhesive strength, playing a crucial role in pharmaceutical capsules and cosmetics by binding and stabilizing ingredients. Rich in amino acids like glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, gelatin offers high biocompatibility and good bioavailability.
Moreover, gelatin dissolves readily in warm water, facilitating processing. Its molecular weight and isoelectric point can be tailored through processing to meet varied application requirements.
Together, these distinctive thermoreversible, emulsifying, foaming, and adhesive properties, combined with excellent biocompatibility and processing flexibility, make gelatin an indispensable raw material in many industries.