Salted Gelatin in Storage

nmp · May 1, 2017

I had made a bunch of gelatin solutions with varying compositions (NaCl + food grade Knox gelatin) a few months ago to do some salt print experiments. When I looked at them again recently, all of them seem to have separated gelatin floating about in the solutions. Is this normal? Do you always have to make fresh solution prior to use? Is there any trick to keep them from separating?

Any light shed on this from all the salt print experts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

pdeeh · May 1, 2017

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "separated gelatin".
When I've made up salted gelatin and kept them, they have (even when refrigerated) quite quickly developed fungal growth within the gelatin. Which is why I now use a few drops of thymol (10% w/v in isopropyl alcohol) in any that will be kept for more than a few days.
I haven't seen separation of any sort.
Sorry not to be able to offer more, but I'm sure clive or ned or someone more guru-ish will be along shortly

removed account4 · May 1, 2017

hi there

from my own experience i had the same thing happen with
with knox gelatin. it separated and i had to get rid of it
i'll be using photo grade / hard bloom soon, im not sure if that wil help ...
or it will be the same.

nmp · May 1, 2017

pdeeh said:
I'm not quite sure what you mean by "separated gelatin".
When I've made up salted gelatin and kept them, they have (even when refrigerated) quite quickly developed fungal growth within the gelatin. Which is why I now use a few drops of thymol (10% w/v in isopropyl alcohol) in any that will be kept for more than a few days.
I haven't seen separation of any sort.
Sorry not to be able to offer more, but I'm sure clive or ned or someone more guru-ish will be along shortly

Thanks pdeeh: It looks like a glob of "gelly" fish (I just made that up) floating within the solution. Tried warming up but not going back in the solution. I wonder the fungii creates some sort of crosslinks in the gelatin polymer. Probably should get thymol.

nmp · May 1, 2017

jnanian said:
hi there

from my own experience i had the same thing happen with
with knox gelatin. it separated and i had to get rid of it
i'll be using photo grade / hard bloom soon, im not sure if that wil help ...
or it will be the same.

Thanks, John. Nice to know mine was not an exception. Next time no more making in quantities ahead of time. Also plan to get some photo grade once I get past some preliminary work.

:Niranjan.

Salted Gelatin in Storage

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