Buying This Food
Look for: Tightly sealed, clean boxes.
Storing This Food
Store gelatin boxes in a cool, dry cabinet.
Preparing This Food
Commercial unflavored gelatin comes in premeasured 1-tablespoon packets. One tablespoon
of gelatin will thicken about two cups of water. To combine the gelatin and water, first heat
¾ cup water to boiling. While it is heating, add the gelatin to ¼ cup cold liquid and let it
absorb moisture until it is translucent. Then add the boiling water. (Flavored fruit gelatins
can be dissolved directly in hot water.)
What Happens When You Cook This Food
When you mix gelatin with hot water, its protein molecules create a network that stiffens
into a stable, solid gel as it squeezes out moisture. The longer the gel sits, the more intermo-
lecular bonds it forms, the more moisture it loses and the firmer it becomes. A day-old gel is
much firmer than one you’ve just made.
Gelatin is used as a thickener in prepared foods and can be used at home to thicken
sauces. Flavored gelatin dessert powders have less stiffening power than plain gelatin
because some of their protein has been replaced by sugar.
To build a layered gelatin mold, let each layer harden before you add the next.
How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food
Medical Uses and/or Benefits
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food
Food/Drug Interactions
Gelatin