ALTERNATIVES TO GELATIN AND ITS ROLE IN INDUSTRY: WHY CAN’T THE INDUSTRY DO WITHOUT GELATIN?
We present for your consideration a compilation prepared by our colleague M. Zeki Aygur on the issue of gelatin, a topic that GİMDES has carefully addressed and taken toheart since its inception. This study is based on an article written by Dr. Hüseyin KamiBüyüközer in 2003 regarding plant-based alternatives to gelatin.
Muhammed Zeki AYGUR (Technical Inspector – Veterinarian)
“Gelatin,” a term we frequently encounter while reading food, pharmaceutical, andcosmetic labels, has continued to raise questions in consumers’ minds for years. Inparticular, the possibility that it may be derived from pigs or cattle not slaughteredaccording to Islamic guidelines is a serious cause for concern among Muslimconsumers.
So, with so many plant-based alternatives available in nature, why has the industry beenso insistent on using gelatin for so many years? Is there really no alternative to gelatin?
Why Can’t the Industry Give Up Gelatin?
The sole reason for gelatin’s widespread use in the industry is not simply that it is “cheap.” What makes gelatin appealing to food engineers are its unique chemical andphysical properties:
Melting at Body Temperature (Mouthfeel): Gelatin’s melting point is approximately 35–37°C. This ensures that when you put a gelatin-based candy or dessert in your mouth, it melts at exactly body temperature, leaving a smooth, unique taste in your mouth. Since most plant-based alternatives melt at higher temperatures, they do not provide the samechewiness.
Versatility: Gelatin is not just a thickener. It is also an excellent gelling agent, foamingagent (in marshmallow production), binder (in pharmaceutical capsules), and clarifyingagent (in fruit juices).
Cost and Ease of Production: Since it is derived from collagen—a massive byproduct of the meat and leather industries—its raw material is abundant and inexpensive.
What Are the Plant-Based Alternatives to Gelatin?
Nature offers us countless plant-based thickening and gelling agents. Withadvancements in food technology, the applications of these alternatives have expandedsignificantly today:
What Has Changed?
The criticism that consumers were left with no choice but to rely on imported andquestionable gelatins was entirely valid. However, market dynamics have changedsignificantly by today’s standards:
However, despite some rhetorical shifts in the market, a systematic and reliable solutionhas not yet been fully established:
1. Consumption Volume and the Reality of Imports Turkey’s annual gelatinconsumption volume and the proportion of gelatin imported from abroad (Europe, Asia, etc.) to meet this demand are clearly evident. In an equation where imports are this high, the danger of “unidentified-source” gelatin in products entering the market persists withfull seriousness. The ambiguity in the market cannot be eliminated merely bydeclarations that production is domestic.
2. Certification Processes and GİMDES Inspections The most critical issue in themarket is the status of reliable and uncompromising halal certification. At this stage, there is no gelatin production company that has currently qualified for a halal certificateaccording to GİMDES standards. In the new period, there are new applications beingmade on a sector-by-sector basis, and GİMDES is continuing its inspections regardingthe traceability of the source and the compliance of production processes with Islamicprinciples with great diligence. Until these inspections are concluded and definitivecertification is provided, the state of uncertainty regarding the use of gelatin remainsvalid.
3. Developments in Plant-Based Alternatives With the growth of the vegan market, it is a positive development that major brands are adding natural plant-based emulsifierssuch as “Agar-Agar” or “Pectin” to their product lines. While new technologies, such as non-animal proteins produced through precise fermentation in laboratory settings, areon the horizon, the industry’s backbone still relies on cost-driven traditional gelatin use.
The question consumers asked years ago—“Why aren’t plant-based alternatives used?”—is more relevant today than ever. The food industry is resisting the shift away fromanimal-derived gelatin due to cost advantages and technological inertia. Until a production network with reliability certified by institutions like GİMDES is established, the safest approach for consumers is to maintain their label-reading habits morerigorously than ever and demand plant-based alternatives like pectin and agar-agar, which are free from suspicion. Only through this conscious consumer demand anduncompromising oversight will the food industry be compelled to offer truly clean andhalal ingredients.
