Effect of acid treatment on extraction yield and gel strength of gelatin from whiptail stingray ( Dasyatis brevis) skin

Abstract

Chemical properties of fish gelatins differ from those of conventional mammalian sources, representing an attractive technological alternative for the food industry. Ray filleting generates a considerable amount of skin waste that can be used as a collagen source for gelatin extraction. Thus, this research evaluated the HCl and CH ₃COOH effect, at 0.01, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.1, 0.15, and 0.2 M, on extraction yield, molecular weight distribution, and gel strength (GS) of whiptail stingray ( Dasyatis brevis) skin gelatins. Results showed differences ( P < 0.05) between acid type and concentration used. CH ₃COOH (0.15 M) gave the highest extraction yield (7.0% vs. 5.5% at 0.15 M HCl) and GS (653 ± 71 g vs. 619.5 ± 82 g at 0.2 M HCl). Gelatin electrophoretic profile from CH ₃COOH revealed α-/β-components and high molecular weight (> 200 kDa) polymers. Ray gelatin GS was higher than commercial bovine gelatin, suggesting its possible use for technological food applications.