Co‐Extraction of Gelatin and Lipids from Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus Albacares) Skins: Physicochemical Characterization, Process Simulation and Economic Analysis

Gelatin and lipids were co-extracted, on a laboratory scale, from yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) skins with estimated yields of 11.67 and 11.65 g component/100 g fish skins, respectively. Fish gelatin gave solutions that were odorless with light yellowish hue similar to commercial preparations. Furthermore, fish gelatin exhibited high gel strength (280 g) and melting point (27.9C) and relatively high viscosity (4.92 cP). Lipids recovered from yellowfin tuna skins contained significant amounts of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, with eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid representing similar to 19% of the total fatty acids. In a follow-up study, the economic feasibility of co-extracting gelatin and lipids from yellowfin tuna skins was investigated and the whole process was simulated and presented in the form of a flow chart using SuperPro Designer. The economic analysis showed that the prospect of processing yellowfin tuna skins for gelatin and lipids production on a large commercial scale is highly attractive.