Whether it’s marshmallows, mousses or cream cheese preparations: perfect texture is king! Because for the consumer, alongside taste, buying criterion number one is and always has been the right bite and the most pleasant mouthfeel. And this is exactly what gelatin brings to the table. But what gives this clean label ingredient its unique ability to create creaminess, fluffiness and texture light as air?

The explanation for these extraordinary abilities lies in its excellent foaming properties. Gelatin makes it very easy to introduce air into all sorts of foods – sweet or savoury. Even large amounts of air can easily be added to a food matrix with this miracle of nature, with the quantity and size of the air bubbles determining the overall texture.

Old hat? Nothing new? Far from it. Participants at last year’s GELITA ”Off The Beaten Track” symposium saw for themselves just how innovative gelatin-based foam can be. They toasted each other with delicious cocktails – but instead of being sipped from their glasses, these cocktails were spooned out. Tantalising Caribbean Espumas in Campari orange and Baileys coffee flavours were delicious, they melted tenderly on the tongue, they were frothy and, above all, they were something completely new.

Foaming – an art of its own

Innovative or classic, in all cases, producing high quality foamed products requires the right type of gelatin. The choice here is critical. The chosen gelatin must be able to promote foam building and, at the same time, inhibit any processes that could potentially destabilize the foam. Incorrect ingredient selection here can result in non-homogenous bubbles, unstable foam structure and products with the wrong density and shape – none of which will go down well with today’s discerning consumers.

Foam formation and stabilization are complex procedures, but gelatin lowers the surface tension of aqueous systems and that makes it easier to introduce air. Additionally, gelatin’s ability to form elastic and flexible films around air bubbles and therefore to stabilize them makes it an optimal foaming agent and stabilizer. In marshmallow products, for instance, GELITA® Gelatin forms and stabilizes the foam, which gives the product a soft and gummy-like texture.

Here you can find out what gelatin can do to improve different products.

Need support? Whether you’re looking to develop a new product or simply want to adapt a recipe or make your manufacturing processes more cost-efficient and productive, we are happy to offer advice. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Have you got a taste for it? Try out our Bailey Espuma Recipe!