Collagen and gelatin in food: structure, properties and uses
What it found
Collagen and gelatin are widely used in food because of their structure and properties, which help improve health and nutritional value and make products more stable, consistent and elastic.
What they found
Where collagen comes from
Food-producing animals have the highest concentration of collagen in their extracellular matrix.
Why used in food
Collagen and gelatin are widely used in food because of their structural, physical, chemical and biochemical properties. These help improve health and nutritional value and increase the stability, consistency and elasticity of food products.
Properties reviewed
The paper reviews properties including self-assembly, gel forming, water-retaining, emulsifying, foaming and thickening.
Structures formed
Collagen can form colloid structures such as emulsions, films or coatings, and fibers.
Food applications
The paper reviews uses in muscle foods, dairy products, confectionary and dessert, and beverage products.
What the authors conclude
- They aim to provide the current market value, progress and applications of collagen and its derivatives in the food industry.
How it was done
Food-producing animals have the highest concentration of collagen in their extracellular matrix, and collagen and gelatin are widely used in the food industry.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is a review of structure, properties and uses, not a study in people or animals.
- It does not measure health effects or how much collagen or gelatin a person might eat.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
- Authors work at
- Zhejiang University, China; Kansas State University, USA; Dalian Polytechnic University, China
The paper
- Title
- Collagen and gelatin: Structure, properties, and applications in food industry
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Ahmad MI, Li Y, Pan J, et al (2024). Collagen and gelatin: Structure, properties, and applications in food industry. International journal of biological macromolecules. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128037PubMed 37963506DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error