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 40 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. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.