Halal Gelatin From Camel

Researchers in Abu Dhabi are now exploring the possibility of obtaining new source of halal gelatin from camel skin¹. The research project which is conducted by the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), is the first of its kind and has the potential to bring great benefits to the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, not only in UAE and the Middle East region but also worldwide.

Gelatin is used in various ways by the food industry. It can be found in many types of processed foods; for example in dairy products like ice-cream and in confectionery products such as marshmallows, biscuits and jellies. Gelatin is also used as gelling agent in canned seafood products, thickener for soups/sauces/gravies and stabilizer for frozen baked products. In the pharmaceutical industry, gelatin is known to be one of the major sources of capsule aside from its wide application in cosmetics and other health care products².

Currently, around 41% of gelatin produced in the world is from pig skin while another 28.5% and 29.5% are coming from beef skin and bones respectively¹. Religious restrictions for porcine and beef gelatin as well as recent fear of Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease from beef gelatine had affected the global gelatin market with manufacturers are now looking for alternative sources of gelatin to meet the demand. The research project which has shown positive results in extracting gelatin from the camel skin is now in the process of improving the gelatin’s quality and conducting comparative studies.

This new alternative is aimed to resolve the issue surrounding current sources of gelatin and helps to cater the demand of rapidly-growing halal consumers around the world.

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References:

1. Al-Kuttab, J. (2017). UAE researchers identify halal gelatin from camels. Khaleej Times. Accessed on 30^th June 2017
2. Peck, C. (2009). Getting the Pork Out. Amazing Health. Accessed on 30^th June 2017