New-York tribune., 1913-05-25
GELATIN AND ITS USES
important Factor in Food and
the Industries.
VALUABLE IN MEDICINE
Aids Digestion and Necessary in
Ice Cream, Cake, Straw
Hats and Photography.

For many years the study of the va
rious colloids was almost the despair of
y the chemists, but investigation has lately
rewarded the scientists by giving them
new and important knowledge regarding
> these complex substances. First In inter
est among the colloids. although possibly
! the second in commercial Importance, is
animal gelatin. and we are very glad 10
have obtained information about this
important food and commercial product
that has not heretofore been generally ac-
! cessibe to the public. The amount OF
misinformation current about gelatin is
so great that IL should now be of con-
siderable interest TO the public 10 learn
: the real conditions of the industry and the
importance of gelatin in food and busi-
ness.
Webster's Dictionary defines gelatin as
/ a substance found in animal tissues and
! membranes. and whose distinguishing
characteristic is that of dissolving in hot
water and forming jelly on cooling. The
tCnited States Dispensatory and the
United States Pharmacop9ia, in more
sextended definition, state that gelatin IS
ithe purified, air dried product obtained
fby the hydrolysis OF animal tissues by
hreatment with boiling water. 1t is in
tsoluble in cold water, but sweils and
fsoftens when immersed in IT. gradually
kabsorbing five 10 ten times its weight OF
water. 1t is soluble in hot water, acetc
Eacid or glycerine. The name gelatin is
tderived from the Latin word "gelare, TO
1congeal and indicates its telly-forming
mature.
Gelatin is the best example Of class
tof non-crystallizsble substance known
HAS colloids or proteids. and In this feat
ture Of not forming crystals lies one OF
Sts chief claims as a food product. 1t
bis an essential part of many well known
PARTICLES of food, including meats, soups
letc., and in these foods has been recog-
knized for many years. 1t might be said
Therefore, that the chef was the first
kgelatin manufacturer and produced the
.substance when he boiled the meat or
bsoupbone. From this crude separation
OF gelatin from animal tissues IN pre-
iparing the meal TO the modern factory
made super-eXtra sheet gelatin. clear as
crystal, used in the arts or in the prep
iaration of sparkling jelly. volumes
might be written on the experiments ana
failures of the manufacturer. and many
successes. too. would have TO be re-
corded. for from the failures come sue
cesses important and valuable To the
world
THE MANUFACTURE OF GELATIN
The raw materials are treated with a
very weak solution of pure hydrochloIlc
acid for several days TO remove the min
eral matter. such as phosphate OF lime
and .nagnesia and carbonate of lime. leav-
ing the gelatin bearing material intact
When the mineral matter is all dissolved
the material is washed many times with
pure filtered water to remove all OF the
acids and dissolved mineral matter The
stock is then treated and retreated a
long time with pure lime water This lime
water. which in itself is a great purifier,
removes any fats that may be present and
also loosens or swels up the hbrcs OF the
stock. so that th4 gelatin is more easily
removed After the treatment with lime
water 's completed the stock is again
washed repeatedly with pure water and
finally treated with hot water 20 extract
| the gelatin. After the gelatin is ex-
II lrdCleu tnt SOiuiOn II hdiibitu III OF u
ifcially cooled rooms. where it congeals
In coolers. is cut into sheets and placed
on nets stretched over wooden frames,
which are run into long dry alleys. through
which current Of pure air OF just the
right temperature is forced When dry
the sheets are removed from the nets and
lare then ready TO be ground or otherwise
prepared and packed for shipment.
This operation OF gelatin making sounds
simple enough. but on this trip Of several
weeks in Transforming the raw material
10 finished product the process must be
watched day and night continuously by
experts. The raw material must be
Ianalyxed. as well as all the chemicals used
in the various operations. The water
lrnust be tested temperatures everywhere
.and all the time kept right and the
aength OF particular treatment carefully