Gelatin alternatives for the food industry: recent developments, challenges and prospects

Gelatin is regarded as a special and unique hydrocolloid, serving multiple functions with a wide range of applications. The main sources of gelatin include pigskin, cattle bones and cattle hide. Gelatin replacement has been a major issue in recent years due to the emerging and lucrative vegetarian, halal and kosher markets. It has recently gained increased interest, especially within Europe, with the emergence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the 1980s. In this paper, we will discuss the unique properties of gelatin, the rationale for developing gelatin alternatives, the progress to date of research in development of gelatin alternatives, possible approaches for developing gelatin alternatives, and future directions for research in this area.