Does Mochi Have Gelatin?
Mochi is a delicious Japanese rice cake with a sticky texture. The food is commonly made from glutinous rice and water. This brings us to the following question: does mochi have gelatin?
No, traditional mochi does not contain gelatin. Instead, it is made from water and mochigome – a short-grain glutinous rice. This rice is mainly grown in Southeast and East Asia, Northeastern India, and Bhutan.
Glutinous rice is also referred to as sticky rice, waxy rice, or sweet rice. The glue-like texture makes it easier to craft the mochi balls, or cakes, as they will not fall apart when eating them (like other rice would).
Origins of Mochi
The act of steaming and forming rice into a sticky paste has origins in ancient China. Japan was introduced to this practice by Southeast Asia – after the method of rice cultivation became popular.
It is believed that Mochi began to be used in New Year festivities during the Heian period. The food was also regularly used to celebrate events like marriage and childbirth. Today, mochi continues to be a staple in Japan during the New Year.
Mochi can also be found throughout other parts of the year. You can find pink colored mochi filled with red bean paste during the spring. This is meant to resemble the cherry blossom tree – a popular symbol in Japanese culture.
What is Gelatin?
Gelatin (also known as gelatine) is a food ingredient taken from the body parts of animals. It’s usually transparent and has no flavor. You can use gelatin as a gelling substance in foods. It became popular from being the main ingredient in jello.
So, why do people think mochi has gelatin? When moist, it feels like a rubbery material. This can be a similar feeling to that of mochi – which is also flexible, and mushy to the touch. But as we know by now, mochi does NOT have gelatin.
What separates mochi apart from other foods in the ingredients. Glutinous rice makes mochi have such a unique texture. The sticky rice outer layer feels almost waxy in your hand, which is why so many people think it has gelatin.
What About Mochi Ice Cream?
You have learned that traditional mochi doesn’t contain gelatin. But does mochi have gelatin in the ice cream flavors? When looking at the ingredients from My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream (Green Tea flavor), we can see that it does not.
Ice Cream Ingredients
- Milk
- Cream
- Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- Whey
- Matcha Green Tea
- Nonfat Dry Milk
- Natural Flavors
- Stabilizer (Locust Bean Gum, Guar Gum)
- Red Cabbage Extract (Color)
- Turmeric Extract (Color)
- Citric Acid
Mochi Dough Ingredients
- Sugar
- Water
- Sweet Rice Flour
- Egg Whites
- Corn Syrup
- Corn Starch
- Red Cabbage Extract (Color)
- Turmeric Extract (Color)
Conclusion
When looking at the ingredients, traditional mochi is a very simple Japanese dish. It can be made with as little as two things – short-grain glutinous rice and water.
Mochi ice cream on the other hand is a different story. It contains more ingredients to add flavor and color. But at the end of the day, both traditional mochi and mochi ice cream do NOT have gelatin.