Gelatin is made through partial hydrolysis of collagen, then performs differently depending on how it’s processed—dissolving at about 50–60°C and gelling as it cools (often around 15–25°C). Across food, pharma, and nutraceutical uses, key performance traits like viscosity and gel strength shape formulation. This page connects those production and quality fundamentals to market forces including fish gelatin expansion, regulatory impacts after BSE, and cost drivers tied to raw material, energy, and FAO/IEA price indices.
Key Takeaways
- Gelatin was included in the International Codex Alimentarius framework for food use as a food ingredient (FAO/WHO Codex classification)
- Typical gelatin yield from collagen is reported as roughly 10–20% by mass in standard biochemical/process references
- Fish gelatin market growth cited at a CAGR around the mid-to-high single digits in market research summaries (fish gelatin demand expansion trend)
- The global gelatin market is projected to reach about USD 6.5–7.0 billion by 2030 in a commonly cited market forecast range
- The global gelatin market is estimated at about USD 3.0–3.5 billion in recent baseline market analyses (pre-forecast market size)
- Global gelatin market growth is projected at roughly mid-single-digit CAGR in market forecasts
- Gelatin is manufactured from collagen by partial hydrolysis (standard industrial chemistry described in technical sources)
- Viscosity and gel strength are key performance attributes for pharmaceutical gelatin (quality attributes used in pharmaceutics references)
- Gelatin dissolution in hot water is temperature-dependent; gelatin is typically dissolved at 50–60°C for processing in lab/industry procedures
- In halal/kosher product settings, the market adoption of gelatin alternatives (plant-based, microbial polysaccharides) is growing as documented by consumer product category reporting
- Clinical and nutraceutical research uses gelatin-derived collagen peptides; number of published studies is measurable via bibliographic databases (paper count indicator)
- Gelatin is used in food coatings and encapsulation; encapsulation usage is evidenced by widespread research with measurable encapsulation efficiencies reported in publications
- Cost of gelatin is influenced by raw material (animal collagen) and processing; market reports quantify cost drivers via market narrative and input cost indices (where available)
- Beef price indices vary annually; FAO provides monthly/annual beef price index numbers affecting gelatin raw material costs
- Fish meal price indices (relevant for fish gelatin inputs where fish by-products are used) are available as measurable indices from FAO
Codex recognition, steady yields, and mid single digit growth drive a projected 2030 global gelatin market around USD 6.5 to 7.0 billion.
Related reading
01 · Category
Industry Trends11 stats
01
Gelatin was included in the International Codex Alimentarius framework for food use as a food ingredient (FAO/WHO Codex classification)
02
Typical gelatin yield from collagen is reported as roughly 10–20% by mass in standard biochemical/process references
03
Fish gelatin market growth cited at a CAGR around the mid-to-high single digits in market research summaries (fish gelatin demand expansion trend)
04
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) led to regulatory changes impacting gelatin supply chains (EU/UK regulatory action year cited)
05
EU Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 sets requirements for TSE risk materials relevant to animal-derived ingredients including gelatin
06
EU Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 specifies hygiene rules for food of animal origin including raw materials such as collagen/gelatin manufacture inputs
07
EU Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 defines processing standards for animal by-products including those used in manufacture contexts
08
Type A and Type B gelatin differ in processing (acid vs alkali); the classification is based on source collagen treatment and is described in gelatin standards references
09
A global comparison of gelatin and gelatin alternatives shows gelatin demand remains high; market adoption of alternatives is reflected in rising shares of plant-based gelling agents (forecasted shares in reports)
10
Gelatin alternative market forecast indicates increased adoption of plant-based gelling agents over the forecast period (forecast growth stated)
11
Fish gelatin adoption is driven by religious/cultural dietary constraints and reduced bovine/porcine concerns (industry trend described in market reports with measurable CAGR)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Under Industry Trends, gelatin continues to gain global formal recognition and regulatory focus even as practical production realities persist, with typical yields from collagen at only about 10 to 20 percent by mass and fish gelatin demand projected to grow at a mid to high single digit CAGR, while EU rules and BSE driven changes have reshaped compliance across supply chains.
02 · Category
Market Size18 stats
01
The global gelatin market is projected to reach about USD 6.5–7.0 billion by 2030 in a commonly cited market forecast range
02
The global gelatin market is estimated at about USD 3.0–3.5 billion in recent baseline market analyses (pre-forecast market size)
03
Global gelatin market growth is projected at roughly mid-single-digit CAGR in market forecasts
04
The global fish gelatin market is projected to reach about USD 1.3–1.6 billion by the forecast year in market research
05
The fish gelatin market forecast indicates growth at a CAGR around 5–7% in a published market research projection
06
Brazil is among the top gelatin producers due to cattle supply and established manufacturing capacity (country production scale described by industry bodies)
07
China’s large livestock base supports substantial domestic gelatin manufacturing capacity (livestock production scale stated by FAOSTAT)
08
Global trade in gelatin is measured by HS code 3503.00 under UN Comtrade (used to quantify imports/exports)
09
The European gelatin market is a major regional segment in global market analyses (share stated in industry forecasts)
10
The Asia-Pacific region is a major growth region in gelatin market reports (share/forecasted growth reported in published research)
11
The global gelatin market is categorized into types such as bovine gelatin, porcine gelatin, and fish gelatin in market segmentation reports
12
The global gelatin market is forecast to be driven by food applications such as gummies, marshmallows, and confectionery (market forecast drivers explicitly listed)
13
The global gelatin market forecast includes pharmaceuticals and medical/diagnostics as a key end-use segment
14
The global gelatin market is segmented by application such as food, medical, pharmaceuticals, and photography (application categories listed)
15
In the EU, gelatin is covered under food hygiene and general food law enabling rules for food of animal origin
16
In trade statistics, gelatin corresponds to HS 350300 and can be used to compute import/export tonnage and value
17
Gelatin market valuation varies by report; one analysis lists a market size baseline of about USD 3.2 billion (gelatin market study value stated)
18
Gelatin is included in the U.S. National Library of Medicine datasets for excipients; gelatin is listed as an excipient material used in formulations
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
The gelatin market is set to expand from roughly USD 3.0 to 3.5 billion today to about USD 6.5 to 7.0 billion by 2030, reflecting mid-single-digit CAGR growth that is also mirrored in fish gelatin reaching around USD 1.3 to 1.6 billion as demand grows.
03 · Category
Performance Metrics27 stats
01
Gelatin is manufactured from collagen by partial hydrolysis (standard industrial chemistry described in technical sources)
02
Viscosity and gel strength are key performance attributes for pharmaceutical gelatin (quality attributes used in pharmaceutics references)
03
Gelatin dissolution in hot water is temperature-dependent; gelatin is typically dissolved at 50–60°C for processing in lab/industry procedures
04
Gelatin is amphoteric and forms gels upon cooling; typical gelling occurs on cooling to below gel-point temperatures reported around 15–25°C depending on formulation
05
Water activity affects microbial stability; gelatin solutions’ stability is tested using water activity metrics in food science protocols
06
Gelatin crosslinking (e.g., via genipin or EDC/NHS) increases thermal stability; studies report increases in denaturation temperature of crosslinked gelatin relative to control
07
Standard Bloom test uses 6.67% gelatin solution and a specified gelation temperature/time to measure gel strength (Bloom test procedure details)
08
Gelatin’s isoelectric point depends on type and hydrolysis degree; type A vs type B has different net charge behavior in lab characterization studies
09
Gelatin contains roughly 18 amino acid residues; protein composition is characterized by amino acid analysis in scientific literature
10
Gelatin typically consists of 19–20% glycine and 15–20% proline/hydroxyproline collectively (amino acid distribution reported in gelatin characterization papers)
11
Fish gelatin generally shows different gelation temperature and viscosity versus bovine/porcine due to lower imino acid content; studies report measurable property shifts
12
Gelatin viscosity at a given concentration is a key measurable attribute; studies report viscosity values for gelatin types in mPa·s/centipoise
13
Thermal setting time for gelatin gels can be controlled; studies report set times on the order of minutes to hours depending on concentration and temperature
14
Gelatin film thickness reported in coating studies commonly falls in the 10–200 µm range (measured parameter in published experiments)
15
Typical tensile strength of gelatin-based films is reported in MPa in experimental studies, varying with plasticizers (e.g., glycerol) and crosslinkers
16
Elongation at break (%) is a measured mechanical property for gelatin films reported in published research studies
17
Water vapor permeability (WVP) is quantified in gelatin films in units like g·mm/m²·day; experimental studies report WVP values
18
Gelatin’s pH affects gelation and solubility; experimental studies measure gelation at different pH values (e.g., 2–9) in lab setups
19
Gelatin degradation can be quantified by changes in bloom strength after aging/enzymatic digestion measured over time (reported as Δ bloom)
20
Gelatin solutions are typically prepared at defined concentrations (e.g., 1–10 wt%) for measurable viscosity and gel properties in standard experimental methods
21
Enzymatic hydrolysis degree (DH) is measurable for gelatin and collagen-derived peptides; studies report DH values (e.g., percentages) after hydrolysis
22
Gelatin is a source of protein peptides; the amino acid profile is measurable via chromatographic analysis in characterization papers
23
Gelatin’s electrical behavior is characterized by zeta potential (mV) in colloid studies; fish vs mammalian gelatins show different zeta potentials
24
Gelatin’s thermal transition temperatures are measurable by DSC; studies report denaturation temperature (°C) for gelatin
25
Hydroxyproline is a key indicator for collagen-derived products; it’s measurable as mg/g or % in amino acid analysis results
26
Gelatin Bloom test results are measured in Bloom degrees (g) via a standardized plunger load; Bloom unit is measurable by definition
27
6.67% gelatin concentration is used in the Bloom test method for standard gel strength measurement (measurable test setup)
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Performance metrics for the gelatin industry are driven by heat and structure, with processing and testing commonly centered on temperature sensitive behavior such as dissolving around 50 to 60°C and gelling after cooling to roughly 15 to 25°C, while quality focus on viscosity and gel strength and stability tied to water activity further shows that small shifts in physical conditions strongly impact performance.
More related reading
04 · Category
User Adoption14 stats
01
In halal/kosher product settings, the market adoption of gelatin alternatives (plant-based, microbial polysaccharides) is growing as documented by consumer product category reporting
02
Clinical and nutraceutical research uses gelatin-derived collagen peptides; number of published studies is measurable via bibliographic databases (paper count indicator)
03
Gelatin is used in food coatings and encapsulation; encapsulation usage is evidenced by widespread research with measurable encapsulation efficiencies reported in publications
04
Gelatin-based nanoparticles are widely studied; publication counts are measurable in bibliographic databases
05
Gelatin is used as a vehicle in vaccines and drug formulations; number of approved gelatin-containing injectable or capsule excipient examples is measurable via drug labeling databases
06
DailyMed contains thousands of product labels mentioning gelatin (measurable count from search results)
07
Gelatin capsules are widely prescribed dosage forms; EMA product documentation includes numerous hard capsule formulations that use gelatin
08
Food labeling systems treat gelatin as an ingredient subject to listing requirements; ingredient declaration adoption is evidenced in EU/US labeling rules (quantified by requirement presence)
09
EU allergen/ingredient labeling requires listing ingredients; gelatin must be declared when used as an ingredient (adoption quantified by labeling rule applicability)
10
In EU labeling, ingredients are declared; this supports user adoption by ensuring traceability of gelatin-containing products
11
Gelatin is used in industrial adhesive/film applications; adoption in edible films is supported by literature where gelatin films improve barrier properties (measurable improvements reported)
12
Gelatin-based wound dressing research adoption is measurable by publications and clinical study counts (PubMed search count indicator)
13
Gelatin sponges and hemostatic products are used clinically; adoption is reflected in medical device/clinical usage descriptions with reported study outcomes
14
Gelatin consumption can be estimated from trade data for HS 350300; adoption of trade-based measurement is quantified via HS trade stats (imports/exports)
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
Across user adoption channels, gelatin demand is being sustained and expanded by thousands of real product mentions and a steady research pipeline showing measurable growth in applications from halal and kosher alternatives to gelatin-based nanoparticles, vaccine excipients, and encapsulation.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis30 stats
01
Cost of gelatin is influenced by raw material (animal collagen) and processing; market reports quantify cost drivers via market narrative and input cost indices (where available)
02
Beef price indices vary annually; FAO provides monthly/annual beef price index numbers affecting gelatin raw material costs
03
Fish meal price indices (relevant for fish gelatin inputs where fish by-products are used) are available as measurable indices from FAO
04
Energy prices affect industrial gelatin plant costs; IEA provides energy price series used in cost modeling (measurable indices)
05
Natural gas price benchmarks are measurable (e.g., Henry Hub annual averages used in industry cost sensitivity) from EIA
06
Electricity price benchmarks are measurable; EIA provides monthly/annual electricity price series for industry
07
Animal by-products regulation compliance costs affect gelatin manufacturing; EU regulatory frameworks quantify compliance through enforcement and documentation requirements (rule-based cost drivers)
08
TSE risk materials removal affects supply and cost; EU rules define prohibited materials impacting input availability
09
EU animal by-product rules define categories and processing requirements impacting gelatin manufacturing process steps and costs
10
Water and steam consumption are major cost factors; gelatin plants operate with significant water usage per batch (measurable water use in industrial studies)
11
Chemical consumption (acids/bases used for collagen extraction) affects cost; industrial studies quantify chemical usage rates in gelatin processing
12
Wastewater treatment is a cost driver; gelatin production generates high BOD/COD effluent quantified in environmental studies
13
Gelatin production wastewater is characterized by measurable BOD values in published environmental assessments
14
COD values for gelatin production wastewater are reported in measurable mg/L in scientific studies
15
Gelatin film production costs depend on raw gelatin and plasticizer additions; studies report specific formulation compositions (e.g., glycerol wt%) used for cost-sensitive product design
16
Glycerol content in gelatin film formulations is commonly around 10–40 wt% of dry film in published experiments, directly affecting material cost
17
Crosslinker use (e.g., genipin or EDC/NHS) increases material cost; studies specify measurable crosslinker concentrations (mg/g) in formulations
18
Steam and temperature control for gelatin melting and gel processing require energy; energy consumption is quantified in process energy analyses in industrial papers
19
Industrial energy use for meat/collagen processing plants is typically reported in kWh per ton of product in industrial energy audits (measurable metric)
20
Yield improvements from processing reduce effective cost per kg; studies report yield percentages for gelatin extraction (measurable yield metric)
21
Gelatin extraction yield is reported around 10–20% from collagen in process literature, which determines raw material cost per kg gelatin
22
Higher bloom grades require processing conditions that can reduce yield; trade-off affects cost per grade (quantified by reported yields vs bloom grades in studies)
23
Higher purity gelatin reduces filtration/processing time; filtration yields are measurable in process engineering studies and affect unit cost
24
Raw material costs are sensitive to livestock numbers; FAOSTAT cattle inventory totals are measurable and correlate with by-product availability
25
Pig inventories are measurable via FAOSTAT (used to estimate porcine by-product availability affecting gelatin costs)
26
Fish supply and by-product availability affect fish gelatin economics; FAO fisheries statistics are measurable quantities (tonnage)
27
Compliance with HACCP/food safety systems adds operational cost; HACCP requirements are mandated with documented implementation burdens in EU regs
28
EU Regulation (EC) 852/2004 establishes HACCP-based procedures, increasing documented compliance cost for gelatin producers
29
Total manufacturing compliance/inspection requirements increase costs; EU official controls are governed by Regulation (EU) 2017/625 (measurable compliance obligations)
30
Official controls regulation requires traceability and documentation in food supply chains including animal-derived ingredients
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost analysis of the gelatin industry hinges on the direct link between measurable input price indices and total processing expense, since FAO tracks beef and fish meal price indices that drive collagen costs while IEA and EIA provide energy and electricity benchmarks that determine how strongly those raw-material prices translate into higher or lower gelatin production costs over time.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Gelatin Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gelatin-industry-statistics
MLA
Margot Villeneuve. "Gelatin Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/gelatin-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "Gelatin Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gelatin-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
49 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+29 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)