Question

What is the difference between jelly, jam and preserves? And what is Jello?

Answer

Jelly, jam and preserves are all made from fruit mixed with sugar and pectin. The difference between them comes in the form that the fruit takes. In Jelly, the fruit comes in the form of fruit juice. In jams, the fruit comes in the form of fruit pulp or crushed fruit (and is less stiff than jelly as a result). In preserves the fruit is chunks of fruit in a syrup or a jam.

As described in the HSW article entitled How Food Works, Pectin is an undigestible carbohydrate (fiber). It is found in the cell walls of most fruit. When heated with sugar in water, it gells.

Jello is entirely different. Jello is made from gelatin, which is a protein made from animal skins and bones. For information on gelatin, see this link.

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