Transglutaminase can introduce new functions in gelatin and collagen, allowing their melting points and gel strength to be controlled by the amount of Transglutaminase added. For instance, TGase has been successfully applied in production of controlled release microcapsules from gelatin, microapsules of Omega fish oil and heat resistant materials very similar to natural shark fin, a valuable food material in Chinese cuisine. It is possible that sausage casings, presently prepared from collagen and hemical reagents, could be replaced by TG-cross-linking of collagen/gelatin or other proteins with no use of chemical reagents.