DEVELOPMENT OF FISH BYPRODUCTS BY USING FISH AND SHELLFISH WASTE FOR UP-LIFTMENT OF SOCIO - ECONOMIC STATUS OF FISHER FOLK

Processing of fish leads to enormous amounts of waste. It is estimated that fish and processing waste after filleting accounts for approximately 75% of total fish weight. About 30% of the total fish weight remains as waste in the from skins and bones during preparation of fish fillets. This fish and shellfish waste is an excellent raw material for preparation of high value byproducts. The utilization of fish wastes helps to eliminate harmful environmental aspects and improve quality in fish processing. Fish processing generates solid waste that can be as high as 50 to 80% of the original raw material.  An attempt was made to study the development of various byproducts from fish and shellfish waste.   Fish Gelatin, Fish meal, Fish Ensilage, and Chitin, Chitosan, were prepared by using fish and shellfish waste respectively. The yield of Fish Gelatin 20 %, Chitin 22 %, Chitosan 63.45 %, Fish meal 70 % and fish silage 65% respectively.  The proximate composition fish gelatin prepared from fish skin was recorded moisture 8.73 + 1.20%, Proteins 72.63 + 1.01 %, Fat 0.55 + 0.10 % and ash 0.30 + 0.01 %. The functional properties like Emulsifying capacity was found 47.50 + 0.51 %, Emulsifying stability 32.40 + 0.60, Foaming capacity 15.00 + 0.76 %, Foaming stability 10.00 + 0.51 % and Water Holding capacity 2.36 + 0.06 ml/g. Rheological properties like Bloom value was found to be 140 + 2.88 g, Viscosity 8.47 + 0.60 and melting point was 19.23 + 0.26 °C. Hydroxy proline and pH content of fish gelatin were recorded 7.77 + 0.02 and 4.62 + 0.02 respectively.  Protein content in fish meal ranged from 70.5% to 73.1% and Moisture content of all samples for all methods ranged from 6.0% to 8.5%. Water activity of samples which were stored at room temperature and at 35°C varied from 0.23 to 0.33. Proximate composition of fish ensilage  were found  moisture 79.47 + 0.42, proteins 15.78 + 0.44,  fat 2.13 + 0.14, ash 2.32 + 0.17 and pH 7.4 respectively.