Lawrence Gilburtson wrote:

> What can I use in place of gelatin to make jello-type desserts, or in
> recipes that call for gelatin and does anyone know where I can find it? I
> guess I should also ask what the standard rate of substitution is
> too....thanks again....

Corn starch can work quite well, if you mix it well with a little cold
liquid and pour that into boiling liquid while stirring well. Arrowroot
powder is used in a similar way.

Alginate based products can be mixed with cold liquids, these solidify
after a couple of hours in the fridge.

All those are polysaccharides (complex sugars) from plant sources, and
available in normal food shops.