Gelatin

According to archaeologists, gelatin could have been used by cavemen about 8,000 years ago, and then by the ancient Egyptians, extracting it by boiling animal skins and bones. True, at first gelatin was used only as an adhesive for repairing clothes and tools. But later they noticed that once the bone broth cools, it can be eaten.

And in the Middle Ages, the amazing properties of such products were discovered: extracts were prepared from deer antlers and calf legs – and used to treat joints. At the same time, in the 15th century, they learned to obtain gelatin from the bladders of sturgeon fish. And for another three centuries, it was fish gelatin or “fish glue,” as it was called, that became the most popular in Europe: desserts were made with it even at the imperial and royal courts.

A new era in the history of gelatin began in the 19th century: it was then that gelatin capsules were first used in medicine to mask the bitter taste of drugs. And they patented dry powder for making desserts. At first, people were not very willing to buy it, but trade picked up speed at the beginning of the 20th century, when they came up with the idea of adding fruit dyes and flavors to the colorless and tasteless powder, and famous artists and actresses were attracted for advertising.

In Russia, before the advent of gelatin, pectin was actively used, producing jelly from pears, apples and black currants. But after the Revolution, when gelatin powder became available not only to wealthy people, but also to any Soviet housewife, a real gelatin boom began. And the menu firmly includes aspic, marmalade and “Bird’s milk”.

✅ Gelatin contains a lot of protein, including essential amino acids. Adding products with gelatin to your diet can be a good contribution to the prevention of various diseases.

✅ According to nutritionists, gelatin can participate in the regeneration of organs and tissues, restore strength and health to the skin, nails and hair. Strengthen the walls of blood vessels.

✅ Proteins and minerals contained in gelatin can have a beneficial effect on bone density, reduce their fragility and protect against the development of osteoporosis.

✅ Products with gelatin can have a positive effect on digestion by increasing the secretion of digestive juices, improving peristalsis and increasing the body’s ability to cope with inflammation.

However, there are a number of contraindications that need to be taken into account.

❌ People with blood clotting disorders, arterial hypertension and a tendency to gain weight should include gelatin in their diet with caution. Because frequent consumption of such foods can increase blood viscosity and increase blood pressure.

❌ Products with gelatin are not recommended for people with chronic kidney and liver diseases due to their high protein content.

❌ Gelatin can cause allergic reactions or food intolerance. Moreover, this can be either an allergy to a specific protein (pork, bovine), or a reaction to flavors and dyes, which are often added in production.

❌ Also, products with gelatin are not recommended for children under 2 years of age and adults with stomach and duodenal ulcers, pancreatitis or gout.

Natural gelatin is practically tasteless and odorless. If, when heated, a specific aroma or taste appears, this may indicate low quality of the product or its expiration date, because the purer and better the gelatin, the more neutral its taste and smell.

You should also be careful with the quantity: if you put too much, the dish may have a bitter taste.

Gelatin is not used as a separate food product, but it can and should be used for preparing aspic, desserts and other dishes that need to be gelatinized.

Preparing gelatin is simple. The main thing is to remember a few important principles:

1. Gelatin is soaked in cold water so that it swells well and does not begin to give up its “strength” ahead of time. At the same time, to reduce the formation of lumps, gelatin is added to the water, and not vice versa.
2. The gelled mass into which gelatin is introduced, on the contrary, must be warm, approximately 60-70 degrees Celsius, so that the gelatin “opens”. Higher temperatures may degrade the properties of gelatin.

Also, when working with gelatin, it is better to avoid acidic fruits that contain enzymes: kiwi, mango, papaya, pineapple. They contain enzymes that reduce gelling properties, so it is most likely impossible to bind such a fruit layer with gelatin. But you can try boiling the fruits or pouring boiling water over them well: enzymes lose their properties during heat treatment.

Also detrimental to gelatin can be products with acids, where Ph is higher than 4: for example, salt and fortified wines. To keep them in the recipe, it is better to use several gelling agents at once.

But products such as sugar, cream or sour cream, on the contrary, only enhance the properties of gelatin – they can be safely added to the recipe!

The storage conditions for gelatin are indicated on the packaging – it is better to follow them. Usually this is: temperature +15 – +32 °C, humidity no more than 70% and lack of light. The shelf life of high-quality gelatin can be up to 5 years or longer. Cheaper powders are usually recommended to be stored for up to a year. Do not use if foreign tastes or odors appear.

In any case, after opening the package, it is important to use the gelatin immediately or store the finished gelatin mass in the refrigerator for no more than a week. It is also important to store products with gelatin only in the cold.

You should not leave gelatin in an open package – it is better to transfer it to a clean, dry, airtight jar, for example, a dark glass jar, with a tight-fitting lid, to protect it from moisture, light and mold. It is not recommended to use gelatin if it has changed color or acquired a foreign odor during storage. Poisoning from expired dry gelatin is unlikely, but it can definitely ruin the taste of your dish.