Category: Animal byproducts

For centuries, sheep's blood has been used in the creation of life-saving antivenom for snakebites, a little-known fact that highlights one of the most powerful applications of what is lamb's blood good for. Beyond its medical utility, its significance spans diverse cultural and culinary traditions across the globe.

Bovine hide is composed of approximately 25-30% protein, a significant portion of which is collagen. Therefore, there is a substantial amount of collagen in cow skin, making it a valuable source for supplements and other applications.

In Nigeria and Indonesia, dishes made from cow skin are beloved delicacies, yet in many Western countries, it is almost never consumed. The reasons for this global divide are not due to edibility, but a complex interplay of economic history, culinary traditions, and the physical properties of the hide itself.

According to food science research, animal blood contains significant protein, with bovine blood consisting of approximately 17-19% protein by weight. This makes animal blood a valuable and often underutilized byproduct of the meat industry, with various applications in food and animal feed production.

Over 45% of the global supply of edible gelatin is produced from pigskin, making it the most common source. So, what is porcine gelatin made from? At its core, it is a purified protein product derived from the partial hydrolysis of collagen found in the skin and bones of pigs.

While a popular urban legend claims that gelatin is made from animal hooves, a fact check reveals this to be completely false. The truth is that the primary ingredient for conventional gelatin is collagen, a protein extracted from the bones and connective tissues of animals like pigs and cows.