Extraction and evaluation of gelatin from yellow fin tuna (Thunnus albacares) skin and prospect as an alternative to mammalian gelatin

One of the mainly popular consumed colloid protein materials in pharmaceutics, medical, food and military industries is Gelatin. Especially from warm-water fish gelatin report poss similar characteristics to mammalian’s gelatin .Yellow fin tuna (Thunnus albacares</em>) gelatin skin, lots of waste in form of skin and bones of the fish are produced every day. Analysis factors were extracted alkaline gelatin from skin, physiochemical and rheological test (amino acids composition, SDS- page electrophoreses, FTIR (Fourier transform infrared), moisture content, pH, setting point and setting time, melting point and melting time, color and gelatin yield).  In contrast cool water fish gelatin, yellowfin tuna had higher gelatin content (Proline and Hydroxyproline) than mammalian gelatin content. SDS-electrophoresis for yellow fin gelatin showed protein bands (α, β, γ) same as mammalian’s protein bands. FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) had the same spectra for both of them. Factors were pH (6.1), Moisture (8.5%) Setting temperature and time respectively 4(c) and 60 (s) and Melting temperature and time respectively were 50 (c) and 45 (s). The color was transparent. In light of these results yellow fin tuna prospect as an alternative to mammalian’s gelatin.