Characterization of codfish gelatin: a comparative study of fresh and salted skins and different extraction methods

• Main Authors: Alves, A. L., Fraguas, Javier, Carvalho, Ana Cristina, Valcárcel, J., Pérez Martín, Ricardo Isaac, Reis, Rui L., Vázquez, José Antonio, Silva, Tiago H.
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: Gadus morhua
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/263047

Third Achilles Workshop “Tendon Gene & Cell Therapy and clinical applications”, 25-27 October 2021, Porto, Portugal, and Final FoReCaST Conference “2D and 3D in vitro Tissue Models for Drug Screening: Strengths and Limitations of the Cancer Models”, 27-29 October 2021, Porto, Portugal Gelatin is generally known as the product derived from thermal denaturation of collagen given origin to an unfolding and cleavage of the triple helix resulting in a polydisperse mixture of polymers [1]. Due to the similarities with collagen, it has been widely used in tissue engineering applications to produce new biomaterials or as cellular carrier [1,2]. The primary sources of gelatins are from mammal origin, yet by-products of the fishery industry have also been considered as raw materials for gelatin production [3]. Different extraction processes are described in literature to obtain gelatins from fish skins, however there is a lack of information about the preservation of those skins (fresh, frozen, salted, etc.) and how that affects the final yield and properties of gelatin. In this study we present a comparative analysis between gelatins produced from fresh and salted codfish (Gadus morhua) skins using different extraction protocols based on methodologies described in literature. The characterization of the materials was assessed based on yield of extraction, amino acid composition, molecular weight distribution, rheological properties, and gel strength, as well as the cell compatibility of the gelatins envisaging future biomedical application. Methodologies using sulphuric + citric acid during the washing processes and a thermal extraction in water demonstrated to produce gelatins rich in OH-proline + proline, enhanced gel strength and rheological behavior, and with higher melting points. Differences between fresh and salted skins were found, with gelatins derived from salted skins demonstrating lower viscoelastic properties, as well as gel strength, when compared with gelatins from fresh skins. Our research has ...