Even though hard gelatin capsules are popularly used for dietary supplements, the dissolution rate of gelatin in water can vary. Why and how gelatin dissolves in water is still up for debate, but manufacturers can stay appraised of the latest theories with a review of gelatin dissolution just published in Food Hydrocolloids.
Even though hard gelatin capsules are popularly used for dietary supplements, the dissolution rate of gelatin in water can vary. Why and how gelatin dissolves in water is still up for debate, but manufacturers can stay appraised of the latest theories with a review of gelatin dissolution just published in Food Hydrocolloids.
When gelatin has a low dissolution rate, this has often been attributed to gelatin’s tendency to form cross-links. This natural action results in a more stable gel network and, thus, prevents easy dissolution of the gelatin in water. Unfortunately, researchers are not at a consensus regarding these cross-links. Environmental factors such as temperature, UV light, and humidity can affect cross-link formation, but researchers evidently have not fully agreed upon the time and rate of such conditions to yield cross-links nor the full scope of types of cross-links that exist in gelatin. Other factors, such as manufacturing processes and molecular weight of gelatin ingredients, are surely at play.
“Among all the factors identified as influencing the dissolution of gelatin, no hierarchy of their importance has yet been established,” said researchers from the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) and gelatin supplier Rousselot (Gent, Belgium), who created the review. “Cross-links were given more attention in this article, but the structure of gelatin chains could also have an influence on gelatin solubility.”
Interested manufacturers can stay updated on gelatin dissolution science by purchasing or renting the full review.
Robby Gardner
Associate Editor
Nutritional Outlook magazine
robby.gardner@ubm.com
Photo © iStockphoto.com/MarsBars
Cracking the code: Advancements in calcium absorption and nutritional understanding
July 23rd 2024Recent research conducted by ILSI U.S. and Canada – a global, nonprofit federation dedicated to advancing precompetitive research in the food, nutrition and health realms – and partially funded by Balchem, has shed light on how to improve predictions of Ca bioavailability across different food matrices.
Innophos launches phosphate blend that increases efficiency of brine pickup for poultry
July 12th 2024According to the company, when used in poultry, OptiBind can help processors increase brine pickup by 19% compared to sodium tripolyphosphate to increase their products’ juiciness and flavor, as well as ensure higher cook yield after storage.