US-based Global Industry Analysts (GIA) said the global gelatine market is growing fast – the firm estimates that it will reach 357,800 metric tonnes by 2015 – driven by increasing demand for gelatine as a biomaterial in cosmetics and from developing countries.

Amongst end users, GIA said food and beverage manufacturers comprise the largest market for gelatine, which is derived from collagen found in animal skin and bones, and is used for its neutral taste and emulsifying, binding, stabilising and gelling advantages in a range of foods.

But GIA warned that the industry’s steady growth trend is threatened by the growing trend towards vegetarianism among consumers, especially after scares over fatal neuro-degenerative disease BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), which have prompted food manufacturers to source gelatine substitutes.

Unmatched technical qualities​

“Food processors are already seeking substitutes for animal-sourced ingredients. While these alternatives meet some gelatin characteristics, none is yet available that matches all the functions such as gelling, binding, thickening, stabilizing, film forming, and aerating properties,”​ said GIA.

However, Gelatin alternatives have several drawbacks, said GIA, explaining that while starches can lead to unpleasant textures due to high usage levels, plant derivative pectin results in a short texture and undue stickiness in some applications.

“Alginates and pectin require pH adjustment or addition of salts to form gels, which still are not thermo-reversible,”​ said the researchers.

Gelatin, meanwhile, is also distinctive in its capability to stabilise foam, said GIA, a technical quality that is important in the production of confectionery, creamed products and chilled/non-chilled desserts.

Manufacturers fight back​

Despite a growing market in alternatives, GIA said it expects improving lifestyles in India and China – where concerns about animal origins are less marked – to drive gelatine demand within the food industry.

The Asia Pacific is likely to be the fastest growing market for gelatin, said GIA, registering a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 3.0% over the analysis period (2007-2015) although the researchers said that the US and Europe will continue to dominate the global market.

GIA said gelatine manufacturers are using also new research to combat bad publicity, promoting gelatine as safe for human consumption and making “concerted efforts to dissipate the misconception that gelatine is a potential carrier of BSE”. ​