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Harold McGee
By Harold McGee
Published 2004
How gelatin turns a liquid into a solid. When the gelatin solution is hot (left), the water and protein molecules are in constant, forceful movement. As the solution cools and the molecules move more gently, the proteins naturally begin to form little regions of collagen-like helical association (right). These “junctions” gradually form a continuous meshwork of gelatin molecules that traps the liquid in its interstices, preventing any noticeable flow. The solution has become a solid gel.