Is Jell-O a meat product?

[toledo_jesus]

I have a friend who has decided that eating Jell-O gelatin on friday would violate his abstinence from meat. I disagree, because from what I understand, Jell-O is mostly hoof and cartilage, and not the 'meat' that we think of. My question is, are we only prohibited from eating flesh meat (like steaks and things we readily recognize as meat), or does this apply to all products which require the animal to be killed (such as taking their hooves or something)?

my friend is leaving tomorrow for seminary, so I'd like to be able to say "I told you so" in person...can we get this answered now? :

[Laudate_Dominum]

Documents regarding abstinence from meat on Fridays that I can recall refer to 'meat' in the proper sense. I don't see anything wrong with extending the fast to include gelatin, but I don't think you could argue from the legislation that this is in fact prohibited. You are always at liberty to fast from more things if it suits your devotion.

And gelatin is not really made from hooves. The most common materials used are the skins and bones of pigs and cows. From these animal by-products collagen hydrolysate is extracted.

The fast is not vegan. To avoid all animal derivitive in food and drugs would be difficult in this country. Gel caps for medicine are made of gelatin for example. And it is often used in soft drinks and juice as a water-soluble carrier of vitamins such as beta carotene. It's also used as a stabilizer (for example in apple juice). Also many candies use it such as gummy worms and marshmallows. :-)
It is used as a texturizer in ice cream, yogurt, margarine and excessively in "low-fat" foods of all sorts. It's basically hard to avoid. And it's not the only animal derived substance that is used all over the place.