With the popularization of the blood-supplementing effect of donkey-hide gelatin, it has become increasingly popular among people. However, there are a few unscrupulous vendors in the market who sell donkey-hide gelatin of varying quality, and there are often fake products being sold. So how do you choose donkey-hide gelatin without being deceived? Here, I will teach you a few methods to help you avoid being deceived and buy a good quality product.
1. Common counterfeit and inferior fake donkey-hide gelatin
1. Cattle hide gelatin
Hard texture that is not easily broken; dark brown color; appears black when held up to light, semi-transparent; slight odor, slightly sweet taste; when burned, it emits a strong foul smell; water test solution does not have any oil droplets.
2. Mixed skin gelatin
Made from old, rotten, and broken skins; black-brown color; lacks luster; tough texture that is not easily crushed; not transparent when held up to light; has a fishy odor; 10% water solution is light brown or milky white, cloudy, with more white foam; after ashing, the residue becomes yellow or grayish-white, powdery, and easily absorbs moisture; taste is salty and astringent, with a slight sandy sensation when tasted.
3. Bone gelatin
Made from crushed animal bones; opaque and lacks luster on the surface; small holes caused by bubbles; irregular wrinkles on the side; hard texture that is not easily crushed; slight odor.
4. Gelatin-like substances
Smooth and shiny; brittle texture; slight odor or ink-like smell; turns into white flakes after being burned, does not stick together.
2. Methods for selecting donkey-hide gelatin
1. Appearance: High-quality donkey-hide gelatin is square-shaped with a hard and brittle texture. It does not have oil or air holes and does not have knife marks.
2. Color: High-quality donkey-hide gelatin has a smooth and transparent reddish-brown surface, and the cross-section is semi-transparent.
3. Smell: Crush the donkey-hide gelatin and put it in a cup, add boiling water, cover the cup, let it sit for 2 minutes, then uncover it. You will smell a strong aroma of gelatin.
4. Tapping: Genuine donkey-hide gelatin has a brittle and hard texture. It won't bend when broken and is easy to fracture. The cross-section does not have any pores. Fake donkey-hide gelatin has a non-brittle texture, bends easily, does not break easily, becomes sticky after being broken, and sometimes has small holes on the cross-section.
5. Water test: Dissolve the gelatin by boiling it. The solution should be light reddish-brown, cloudy, with white substances precipitating, and there should be oil droplets on the surface. Take the gelatin solution and mix it with water. The solution should be clear without any cloudiness. Genuine donkey-hide gelatin solution does not coagulate after standing for 4 hours, while the solution of fake gelatin coagulates into a paste.
6. Fire test: Take a small sample of donkey-hide gelatin and burn it in a crucible. It will crack initially, then expand and melt, emitting a strong smell of sesame oil. After ashing, the residue is black or brown, porous and loose, in the form of flakes or lumps, and does not stick to the crucible. The taste is mild, and there is no foreign object sensation when tasted.
3. Methods for storing donkey-hide gelatin
Donkey-hide gelatin is prone to soften when exposed to heat or moisture, and easily breaks when exposed to cold. It is best to wrap it in oil paper and store it in sealed storage with bran. The oil paper can prevent the gelatin from absorbing moisture, while the bran can absorb moisture and prevent it from breaking when exposed to cold, thus protecting the medication.
