Tag Archives: gelatin

IS GELATIN MADE FROM HORSE HOOVES?

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No. A lot of people believe that that gelatin is made from horse hooves, but that isn’t true. Glue is made from horse hooves. Back in the old days, it was a standard joke to say that a horse was so old and decrepit that the glue factory wouldn’t take him. People have been making glue from horse hooves for over 10,000 years. In prehistoric times, horse hoof glue was used to stiffen bows and to attach feathers to arrows. Horse hoof glue is still made. It is used in cabinetry, woodworking, violin making, etc. Most commercial gelatin is made from pigskin, although it can also be made from other animal parts. Gelatin can be found in hundreds of supermarket products, not just Jello and marshmallows. The most important thing to know about gelatin is that it is not stable like cornstarch or tapioca. Gelatin gets more firm with time. Gelatin desserts are best eaten within 1 or 2 days after they are made. Once Jello is 5 or 6 days old, it starts to turn rubbery, and it gets more rubbery as it gets older.

What Is Kosher Gelatin?

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Almost none of products that you see in U.S. supermarkets that contain gelatin are kosher. That is because all of the gelatin commercially produced in the United States is made from pork byproducts. Most of it is extracted from pig snouts, hooves, and pigskins. A number of the products in my chocolate room contain kosher gelatin. For example, the icing on my chocolate-bottomed oatmeal cookies is made with kosher gelatin. Kosher gelatin is made from fish instead of pigs. Most of the fish caught by commercial fishing boats is not marketable. These fish are either thrown back into the ocean or are frozen and sold to ‘trash fish’ buyers. Most ‘trash fish’ is turned into cat food or fertilizer. Some of it is shipped to Israel where it is turned into kosher gelatin or it is shipped to Egypt or Jordan where it is turned into halal gelatin for sale to observant Muslims. Fish gelatin is an odorless and tasteless white powder.

Are Marshmallows Made Out of Horse Hooves?

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No, they are not. Gelatin is a principle ingredient in marshmallows. A lot of people believe that the gelatin in marshmallows is made from from horse hooves, but that isn’t true. You can’t make marshmallows out of horse hooves; however, you can make glue out of horse hooves. Hoof glue was invented in ancient times and has been in continuous use for over 5,000 years. Horse hoof glue is still made. It is used in fine woodworking and violin making, among other things.

All of the major brands of marshmallows manufactured in the United States are made out of gelatin extracted from pig parts. Kraft marshmallows are made from gelatin extracted from pig skin. Most of the other brands get their gelatin from pig snouts or lard. That’s why none of them are certified kosher or halal. At a wholesale food trade show, a marshmallow salesman proudly told me: “Our gelatin is made from fresh pig snouts. Most of our competitors use frozen snouts.” Hmmm. Is that really a big deal? Would you really be more inclined to buy a bag of marshmallows if it said on the label: “Made from the snouts of freshly killed pigs!” I don’t think that line is going to sell a lot of marshmallows.

If you want to buy pig-free marshmallows, go to Whole Foods. They sell Eleyon marshmallows from Israel. They are made with fish gelatin. If you want to buy vegan marshmallows, good luck. They are hard to find in stores, expensive, and usually have a very short shelf life. Vegan marshmallows are made with carregeenan, a gelling agent extracted from seaweed.