How Gelatin is Produced

Food-grade gelatin is sometimes called Type A gelatin (A for the acid treatment it receives). To produce Type A gelatin, chopped clean pigskins are soaked for several hours or days in cold acid. This breaks down the pigskin’s connective tissue, transforming its rigid, ropelike protein fibers (called collagen) into smaller invisible strands of gelatin that thicken or gel when cooled. Hot water is then used for dissolving gelatin and extracting it from the pigskins. This process is repeated up to six times, with each extraction occurring at a progressively higher temperature. By the last extraction, water is at the boiling point and the last bits of usable gelatin are removed.