Gelatin is not considered to be a meat food product subject to the Federal Meat Inspection Act. The provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act require gelatin to be prepared from clean, sound, wholesome, raw materials, and handled under sanitary conditions. Gelatin should not contain glue, or other gelatin-like material with a low gelatinous characteristic, nor have a disagreeable odor or taste. It should be so prepared and marketed as to be free from spoilage, filth, or putridity. It should be free from such preservatives, metals, and salts of metals as may render its use injurious to health.
Source: Excerpted from Requirements of Laws and Regulations Enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (1997).