Effects of gelatins on calcium phosphate precipitation: a possible application for distinguishing bovine bone gelatin from porcine skin gelatin

Our study on the effects of different gelatins on calcium phosphate precipitation demonstrated that bovine bone gelatin and porcine skin gelatin could be distinguished using a pH drop method. The induction time was more remarkably increased by the addition of bovine bone gelatin than in the case of porcine skin gelatin. The difference between these two gelatins was significant at the concentrations of 0.5 and 2.0 mg/ml. The effects on hydroxyapatite transformation were biphasic. Gelatins increased the value at a lower concentration, but they decreased it after reaching a peak concentration. The peak concentration was 0.5 mg/ml for bovine bone gelatin, but was 4.0 mg/ml for porcine skin gelatin. Two commercial gelatin products were studied. One had properties close to bovine gelatin, and the other had properties close to porcine gelatin. This simple method may be useful in analyzing the origin of gelatin products.