The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-03-20
The Gelatine You Eat; HOlU the Pure Food
Lnps Restrict the RGW Materials Used

treated in a vat for several days in
a weak solution of muriatic acid.
Gradually the mineral matter in them,
such as calcium Of lime phosphate,
and the carbonates Of calcium and
magnesium are dissolved out. leaving
behind the material which contains the
gelatine in its unfinished condition.
An experiment. which is analogous to
this process may be tried out by any
one by placing a bone from the table
in weak solution of hydrochloric acid
and leaving it several days. The in
structive part of the experiment con-
sists in the discovery, made after the
solid matter is gone and a soft gluti-
nous core is left, that bone contains
so much within itself that is not bone.
As much as so per cent of the volume
Of some bones consists of gelatine.
The residue that remains in the vat
after the treatment with acid is next
washed many times with pure filtered
water. The purpose of this is to re-
move practically all of the chemical
compounds formed when the acid
unites with the minerals forming the
rigid part of the bone. Just as in
careful chemical work, clean, altered
water, removing any fats that may be
present, and at the same time loosen
ing the fibers and releasing the gela-
tine. Then the stock undergoes several
washings and goes to the vat for the
next process, which is the boiling.
The purpose of the boiling is simply
to extract the gelatine, since it is
soluble in hot but not in cold water.
After the first boiling most of the
gelatine rises to the top, where it is
drawn off. Several successive boilings
at increasing temperatures (necessitat-
ing that the liquid be contained in a
tight boiler in order that higher tenn
peratures may be arrived at) free prac-
tically all of the gelatine. Of course,
the strongest gelatine comes off with
the first boiling, just as by far the
most of the coffee is extracted from
the coffee grounds with the first water.
The gelatine which has been drawn
off is now run through pipelines into
specially cooled room where the
thin, hot liquid soon cools into a jelly
like mass. 1t is then cut up into
sheets and placed on nets over wooden
frames which are conveyed to a long
alley through which a strong current
of hot, dry air is blown. The purpose
of this is to remove the moisture in
the sheets, and the greater part of it
is removed there. This puts them in
condition to be ground up, ready to be
packed in the common granulated form
for use. The long process of manufac-
ture is now completed.
But before it is put. out on the
market the gelatine must be tested and
graded, Each run is tested independ-
emily by several chemists, and these
tests are of two general kinds. One
has in view the determination of the
number of bacteria, If any, present;
the other, the percentage of unessen-
tial chemicals contained. In both
these regards the ge1atine must con-
form to the rigid requirements of the
pure food laws of the United States,
as well as the often more rigid require
ments of individual States such as, for
instance, Pennsylvania and North Da-
kota. 1t is claimed that the gelatine
imported from the Netherlands is
higher in purity than the requirements
Of the American pure food laws de-
mand.
Gelatine is without doubt known by
most of us as a dessert. But there
are other outlets for it that are still
more important. Most of it lis used
in the manufacture of ice cream in the
United States than for any other pur-
pose. this immense industry account
ing for 100000 pounds of gelatine
annually. This amounts to about
double the quantity consumed as a
table jelly. The American candy in
dustry uses another three million
pounds every year.
In addition to these uses, gelatine
is found in large and varied life
of commercial products. A few of
these are pharmaceutical products such
as capsules and coated pills prescribed
by the physician. Not a photograph
could be taken, not motion picture
shown without gelatine, although the
gelatines used to coat the Photographic
films need not be as pure as those
which regale US after a hearty din
ner. The standard set by the Federal
food laws for food gelatines permits,
out of one million parts (not one thou
SANDY only 30 parts of copper; 100
of zinc; 20 of lead; $50 of sulfur diox-
ide; and Ia of arsenious oxide, or
less than one part in 100000 of the
last named. But many table .gelatines
are now made so carefully that they
contain only one-fftieth of these min
eral allowances. Thus they are fifty
times as pure as Uncle Sam requires
them to be.