Gelatin from Milkfish Scales for Food Application

The amount of gelatin used worldwide in the food industry is increasing annually. Recovery of valuable components from fish processing-by products could help solve problems on tons of wastes produced each year and address religious beliefs like Islam and Judaism as well as the fear of mad cow disease. In this study, gelatin was extracted from milkfish scales for food application. The physical properties (yield, strength, color, clarity and pH) of extracted gelatin were studied and compared with commercially-available bovine gelatin. Marshmallows were developed from these gelatin sources. Sensory evaluation was done to determine the appropriateness of the level of a specific attribute and the consumer’s preference using the nine-point hedonic and just about right (JAR) scales. The extracted fish gelatin was comparable to bovine gelatin in terms of strength but they differ in terms of color, clarity and pH. The fish gelatin had a yield of 8.7%, high bloom value of 505g, white appearance and an acidic pH (5.25). The marshmallow developed from fish gelatin is comparable to bovine gelatin in all attributes (color, aroma, texture, taste, sweetness and aftertaste) except for sweetness. Overall, the gelatin extracted from milkfish scales can be used as an alternative to bovine gelatin for food application such as in marshmallow production.