Gel strength

Gel strength describes how firm a set gel is. For gelatin the standard measure is bloom strength, which a research paper calls a food industry standard for describing the quality of gelatin. Higher bloom values indicate higher gelatin molecular weight.

The test uses a standardized 0.5 inch diameter plunger pressed a pre-specified distance of 4 mm into a gelatin gel. The weight in grams from the machine corresponds to the bloom strength of the gel.

In the kitchen, strength also depends on how the gelatin is used. A Canadian baking textbook suggests using gelatin at a 1 percent ratio, notes that acidity adversely affects its gelling capacity, and says many bakers prefer leaf gelatin because of its reliable strength.