# gelatin > mixture of peptides and proteins derived from connective tissues of animals **Wikidata**: [Q179254](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q179254) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelatin) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/gelatin ## Summary Gelatin is a mixture of peptides and proteins derived from the connective tissues of animals. It is classified as a polymer network gel and is distinct from hydrolyzed collagen. Commonly utilized as a food thickener, nutriment, and excipient, it is also a binding medium in photographic emulsions. ## Key Facts - **Classification:** A mixture of peptides and proteins; subclass of polymer network gel. - **Source:** Derived from animal connective tissues; specific variants include donkey-hide gelatin and isinglass (from fish swim bladders). - **Chemical Identity:** CAS Registry Number 9000-70-8; UNII 2G86QN327L. - **Food Additive:** Designated as E428 in the European numbering system; aliases include E441 and Speisegelatine. - **Medical Code:** ATC code B05AA06; DrugBank ID DB11242. - **Industrial Use:** Photographic gelatin is a chemically purer form used as a binding medium in photographic emulsions. - **Composition:** Contains carbon. - **Regulatory IDs:** EC Number 232-554-6; KEGG ID C01498. ## FAQs ### Q: What exactly is gelatin made of? A: Gelatin is a mixture of peptides and proteins derived from the connective tissues of animals. It is a polymer network gel used in various food and industrial applications. ### Q: Is gelatin used in medicine? A: Yes, gelatin functions as an excipient and has the ATC code B05AA06. It is distinct from hydrolyzed collagen. ### Q: What is the difference between food gelatin and photographic gelatin? A: Photographic gelatin is chemically purer and physically more refined than food-quality gelatin. It serves as the binding medium in some photographic emulsions. ## Why It Matters Gelatin is a highly versatile biopolymer that bridges the food industry, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing. As a "polymer network gel," it possesses unique physical properties that allow it to function effectively as a gelling agent, thickener, and stabilizer. In the culinary world, it is fundamental to products ranging from unflavored gelatin to alcohol-infused "Jello shots," and is officially recognized as a food additive (E428). Beyond nutrition, its role is critical in healthcare as an excipient and therapeutic agent (classified under ATC code B05AA06). Furthermore, its specialized application in photography—where "photographic gelatin" acts as a binding medium for emulsions—highlights its importance in preserving visual history. By utilizing animal byproducts (connective tissues, donkey hides, fish swim bladders), gelatin also represents a significant historical and economic example of material efficiency. ## Notable For - **Unique Material Class:** It is a polymer network gel derived specifically from animal connective tissues, distinguishing it from synthetic polymers. - **Photographic Utility:** It is the essential binding medium for photographic emulsions, requiring a purity level higher than food-grade versions. - **Culinary Versatility:** It appears in diverse forms, from industrial food thickener to recreational consumables like Jello shots. - **Specialized Variants:** Distinct forms exist based on the source animal, such as donkey-hide gelatin and isinglass (from fish swim bladders). - **Global Identification:** It possesses a vast array of international identifiers, including CAS, UNII, KEGG, and E-numbers, reflecting its ubiquitous regulatory status. ## Body ### Definition and Composition Gelatin is defined scientifically as a mixture of peptides and proteins. It is created through the partial hydrolysis of collagen extracted from the connective tissues of animals. As a substance, it is an instance of a "mixture" and is taxonomically a subclass of a **polymer network gel**. It contains **carbon** as a fundamental part of its structure. The substance is distinct from **hydrolyzed collagen**, though the two are related. It is known by multiple synonyms and aliases, including Gelatine, E 441, E-441, Gelatinosa, Grenetina, Gelatinoso, Gélatine de porc, and Speisegelatine. ### Physical and Chemical Identification Gelatin is tracked by numerous international chemical and regulatory databases. Its core identifiers include: * **CAS Registry Number:** 9000-70-8 * **UNII:** 2G86QN327L * **EC Number:** 232-554-6 * **KEGG ID:** C01498 * **ChEBI ID:** 5291 * **DrugBank ID:** DB11242 * **UNSPSC Code:** 51131903 ### Uses and Applications Gelatin serves broad functions across several industries: * **Food and Nutrition:** It is widely used as a **nutriment** and **food thickener**. In the European Union, it is listed as food additive **E428**. Specific product types include **unflavored gelatin** and **Jello shots** (a mixture of gelatin and alcohol). * **Pharmaceuticals:** It acts as an **excipient** (an inactive substance used as a carrier for the active ingredient) and is listed under the ATC code **B05AA06**. * **Photography:** **Photographic gelatin** is a specialized class of the substance. It is chemically purer and physically more refined than food-quality gelatin, serving as the binding medium in photographic emulsions. * **Industrial:** It functions as **animal glue**. ### Variants and Sources While the general definition cites "connective tissues of animals," specific sources are noted in the knowledge base: * **Donkey-hide gelatin:** A specific gelatin obtained from the skin of the donkey. * **Isinglass:** A substance obtained from the dried swim bladders of fish, classified as a parent or related class of gelatin. ## References 1. Gelatins. ECHA Substance Infocard database 2. Integrated Authority File 3. Food Chemistry 4. Q37810035 5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 6. GELATIN. Hazardous Substances Data Bank. 2019 7. YSO-Wikidata mapping project 8. GELATIN. CosIng database 9. Quora 10. National Library of Israel 11. KBpedia 12. GF WordNet 13. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)