kitchen Angst!

I just got this question posed to me and realized, I am lucky enough to know the answer! So I want to tell you, so you can also be informed on the subject.
Jello, or Jell-o as it is spelled in modern culture U.S.A. is a tasty treat at many home functions, as well as in school cafeterias across our great land, But What is it? How does it differ from Jelly?
Jello is created by taking pure Gelatin and flavoring it in an unnatural way(most of the time) to produce a dessert. This is fine if you are a meat eater like me, but if you wish to refrain from the animal kingdom you should not eat Jell-o. Gelatin is extracted From the bones of animals. It comes in sheet or powder form and can be found in most supermarkets. Its smooth, rich texture(mouth feel) is undeniable! It really is an amazing substance. As the commercials say “watch It wiggle, See It jiggle”! I love using gelatin, but I am very cautious to tell my staff when I have added it, this way I don’t compromise someones belief or stand on the vegetarian issue.

Pectin on the other hand is from fruit! The most common is green apples. It does show up, in different amounts, in other fruits as well. Pectin is harder to work with and doesn’t really act the same way that gelatin does. Pectin needs both sugar and acid to form a “jell”, and they have to be in perfect harmony for it to work. This is why in Jelly recipes they say not to double the batch! You will not get the jelling affect if the amounts aren’t right. Chemistry plays a much larger role with pectin. You can also overcook it, destroying its ability to “set”. Where gelatin will just “set” harder with more cooking.
Gelatin could be used in making jelly, As pectin could also be used to thicken savory sauces, but as a rule of thumb it isn’t done. They each have a job to do and they both do them well.
It does come down to the mouth feel, or texture you are looking for. Pectin tends to set more firmly than gelatin and spreads easier. But the bottom line is, using gelatin means you are using an animal by-product! If you are using pectin you are using a fruit product! It’s that basic! I will allow you to make up your own mind!
I hope I have helped!