280
12 Collagen
this happens (Bradley et al. 2015). Collagen, like other polymers, is usually used in
low concentration in cosmetics products, usually below 1% weight fraction.
12.7.7 Food
In food, collagen is used mainly in the hydrolyzed form. One of the more common
applications is its use in jellies. In the presence of water at a temperature of around
4 °C, gelatin forms a soft aqueous jelly. However, this jelly is temperature sensitive
and melts at higher temperatures. Although not yet a commercial reality, hydrolyzed
collagen is also used in the production of food packaging films (Hanani et al. 2014).
Like all polymers when dissolved in a solvent, it increases the viscosity of the
solvent such that there is a correlation between its concentration and the thickness
of the solution in a molecular weight-dependent manner. For this reason, hydrolyzed
collagen can be used as a thickening agent in food. In this dissolved form, when
the temperature is reduced to around 4 °C, the polypeptide chains take on a coiled
helix conformation and form a three-dimensional network trapping water within the
network of polymer chains. This manifests physically as a gel. This gel is thermoreversible, and this comes an advantage when the melt in mouth feeling is required for
the food product (Rayner et al. 2016).
The gel properties vary for different types of hydrolyzed collagen. Gel properties
can be characterized by the gel strength, bloom, gel transparency and gel elasticity.
Other gel-forming polymers such as carrageenans tend to form stronger gels that
gelatin; however, in some applications a softer gel is required while in others a
strong gel is required. Hydrolyzed collagen from aquatic sources such as fish skin
has been shown to be also suitable in the production of food jellies similar to those
made using bovine and porcine sourced hydrolyzed collagen (Gamarro et al. 2013).
Hydrolyzed collagen is used in the production of soft gels which are used in
the production of some nutritional supplements such as omega-3 and production of
herbal capsules. These gels and capsules make it easier to ingest nutrients or herbs
which are either not taken in the diet or for easier intake where the taste or flavor is
not desirable.
12.7.8 Antioxidant Activity
Collagenous proteins obtained from edible jellyfish known as R. esculentum have
been shown to possess antioxidant activity (Zhuang et al. 2009), and collagens from
fish also show some antioxidant property (Chi et al. 2014). This antioxidant property
however is dependent on the structure of the collagen.
Antioxidant property could be demonstrated by a molecule or compounds ability to scavenge free radicals, donate protons or electrons, deactivate the reactive
oxygen species or chelate transition metals which promote oxidation. Collagen
12 Collagen
this happens (Bradley et al. 2015). Collagen, like other polymers, is usually used in
low concentration in cosmetics products, usually below 1% weight fraction.
12.7.7 Food
In food, collagen is used mainly in the hydrolyzed form. One of the more common
applications is its use in jellies. In the presence of water at a temperature of around
4 °C, gelatin forms a soft aqueous jelly. However, this jelly is temperature sensitive
and melts at higher temperatures. Although not yet a commercial reality, hydrolyzed
collagen is also used in the production of food packaging films (Hanani et al. 2014).
Like all polymers when dissolved in a solvent, it increases the viscosity of the
solvent such that there is a correlation between its concentration and the thickness
of the solution in a molecular weight-dependent manner. For this reason, hydrolyzed
collagen can be used as a thickening agent in food. In this dissolved form, when
the temperature is reduced to around 4 °C, the polypeptide chains take on a coiled
helix conformation and form a three-dimensional network trapping water within the
network of polymer chains. This manifests physically as a gel. This gel is thermoreversible, and this comes an advantage when the melt in mouth feeling is required for
the food product (Rayner et al. 2016).
The gel properties vary for different types of hydrolyzed collagen. Gel properties
can be characterized by the gel strength, bloom, gel transparency and gel elasticity.
Other gel-forming polymers such as carrageenans tend to form stronger gels that
gelatin; however, in some applications a softer gel is required while in others a
strong gel is required. Hydrolyzed collagen from aquatic sources such as fish skin
has been shown to be also suitable in the production of food jellies similar to those
made using bovine and porcine sourced hydrolyzed collagen (Gamarro et al. 2013).
Hydrolyzed collagen is used in the production of soft gels which are used in
the production of some nutritional supplements such as omega-3 and production of
herbal capsules. These gels and capsules make it easier to ingest nutrients or herbs
which are either not taken in the diet or for easier intake where the taste or flavor is
not desirable.
12.7.8 Antioxidant Activity
Collagenous proteins obtained from edible jellyfish known as R. esculentum have
been shown to possess antioxidant activity (Zhuang et al. 2009), and collagens from
fish also show some antioxidant property (Chi et al. 2014). This antioxidant property
however is dependent on the structure of the collagen.
Antioxidant property could be demonstrated by a molecule or compounds ability to scavenge free radicals, donate protons or electrons, deactivate the reactive
oxygen species or chelate transition metals which promote oxidation. Collagen