Physiochemical and functional properties of gelatin obtained from tuna, frog and chicken skins

Growing demand for gelatin has increased interest in using alternative raw materials. In this study, different animal skins; namely frog, tuna and chicken skins; were utilized in gelatin extraction by previously optimized extraction procedures. Quality characteristics and functional properties of the resultant gelatins were comparatively investigated. Frog skin gelatin had the highest protein content with 77.8% while the highest hydroxyproline content was found in chicken skin gelatin with 6.4%. Frog skin gelatin showed a significantly higher melting point (42.7 degrees C) compared to tuna and chicken gelatins. Bloom value was also significantly higher in frog skin gelatin compared to that of chicken and tuna skin gelatins. Results showed that processing waste like skins of different animals may present opportunities in gelatin production as high quality alternatives. This study may help the industry by providing one hand comparable data over potentially significant sources.