Fish scale

Abstract: Summary Fish scale was decalcified and disaggregated and then collagen was prepared by limited pepsin digestion. The yields of collagens were very high on a dry weight basis; sardine 50.9%, red sea bream 37.5% and Japanese sea bass 41.0%, respectively. These scale collagens were heterotrimers with a chain composition of (α1)2α2. Although the denaturation temperature of the collagen was lower than land animal collagen, fish scales will have potential as an important collagen source for use in various industries.

Abstract: Objective: Gelatin is widely used biopolymer in various industries due to its excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability properties. In the present study, gelatin was extracted from fish wastes, as an alternative source. Methods: This biopolymer was extracted from the scales of freshwater fish, Labeo rohita . After extraction, the proximate analysis and physico-chemical analysis of the fish scale gelatin were carried out. This functional polymer was also characterized using different analytical methods, such as UV-vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) for the evaluation of crystalline and surface morphology, and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for structural determination. Results: The scales of L. rohita yield 24% (dry weight basis) of gelatin, indicating this fish species as potential source of gelatin. The proximate analysis determined was low moisture content (4.2%), ash (1.4%) and high protein (90%) content. The result of the study confirms the effectiveness of extraction method used. Conclusion: The fish scales of L. rohita are found to be a sustainable and renewable source of gelatin with desirable functionalities and it is the best alternative for mammalian gelatin in food and other industries.