Method to increase the rate of viscosity degradation of a gelatin, and gelatin composition

A method to increase the rate of viscosity degradation of a gelatin, comprising the steps of:

• providing an aqueous solution of gelatin;
• combining the aqueous solution of gelatin with about 2 to about 20% reactive peptides (in terms of the weight fraction of the reactive peptides relative to the total dissolved protein content of the aqueous solution), wherein the reactive peptides comprise collagen peptides with an average molecular weight of about 100 to about 5,000 Da and/or amino acids;
• adjusting a pH of the aqueous solution about 3.4 to about 8.0;
• heating the aqueous solution to a temperature from about 60 to about 150° C.;
• and
• holding the aqueous solution at said temperature for a period of time sufficient to degrade the viscosity of the solution to be in a range from about 15 to about 25 mP, when measured at a total dissolved protein concentration of 6.67% w/w, at a temperature of 60° C. and at a pH of 5.3 to 5.5.