Indian scientists produce high-quality gelatin from tanning waste

According to the India Times (India Times) news on Monday, India's Central Leather Research Institute (Central Leather Research Institute) has developed a new technology that can produce high-quality gelatin (gelatine) from waste animal hides. This technology can also help reduce tanning waste, killing two birds with one stone.

High-quality gelatin is usually synthesized from collagen, which is mainly extracted from animal bones and pig skin.

Now scientists have successfully extracted collagen from waste animal hides left over from tanning and synthesized gelatin. These wastes are called trimming wastes and are usually cut from the neck, gizzard and tail of the whole animal hide. The extracted collagen is then hydrolyzed to synthesize gelatin.

Gelatin is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry as a capsule and as a concentrate in the food industry to produce jelly, ice cream, pudding, cakes and soups. Scientists say that gelatin can be extracted from the trimming waste of various animal hides, including goat, cow, sheep and American buffalo.

According to B Madhan, director and senior scientist at the institute, the solid waste would take a long time to produce industrial gelatin using traditional methods, and the gelatin is of low value. The new technology is to obtain high-quality gelatin by hydrolysis for the production of capsules. Using 1 metric ton of animal hides in the tanning process leaves about 50 kg of trimming waste, which then produces about 10 kg of gelatin. This new technology is not only an alternative to the production of gelatin, but also solves the problem of waste disposal from tanning. The Institute is currently applying for a patent for this technology.

According to P Saravanan, the chief senior scientist of tanning technology, India needs about 700,000 tons of raw hides for tanning every year, and more than 10% of the raw materials will become solid waste. Tanners find it very difficult to deal with these wastes, and now the Institute has solved this problem for them, turning these wastes into treasures.

He also said that if the new technology is used properly, it can also reduce the import of high-quality gelatin. For India, the market potential for high-quality gelatin is huge, especially for the pharmaceutical industry. Since there are not many companies producing high-quality gelatin in India, gelatin worth US$5 million is imported every month.