Treatments of tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) using nitric oxide for quality improvement: Establishing a potential method for large-scale processing of farmed fish

Carangoides bartholomaei (Cuvier, 1833) stomach: a source of aspartic proteases for industrial and biotechnological applications

The viscera and other residues from fish processing are commonly discarded by the fishing industry. These by-products can be a source of digestive enzymes with industrial and biotechnological potential. In this study, we aimed at the extraction, characterization, and application of acidic proteases from the stomach of Carangoides bartholomaei (Cuvier, 1833). A crude extract from the stomachs was obtained and submitted to a partial purification process by salting-out, which obtained a Purified Extract (PE) with a specific proteolytic activity of 54.0 U⋅mg-1. A purification of 1.9 fold and a yield of 41% were obtained. The PE presents two isoforms of acidic proteases and a maximum proteolytic activity at 45 °C and pH 2.0. The PE acidic proteolytic activity was stable in the pH range of 1.5 to 7.0 and temperature from 25 °C to 50 °C. Purified Extract kept 35% of its proteolytic activity at the presence of NaCl 15% (m/v) but was totally inhibited by pepstatin A. Purified Extract aspartic proteases presented high activity in the presence of heavy metals such as Cd2+, Hg2+, Pb2+, Al3+, and Cu2+. The utilization of PE as an enzymatic addictive in the collagen extraction from Nile tilapia scales has doubled the process yield. The results indicate the potential of these aspartic proteases for industrial and biotechnological applications.

Effect of citric acid on physicochemical properties and protein structure of low-salt restructured tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) meat products

BACKGROUND

The growing consumer demand for healthy products has encouraged the development of low-salt meat products. In this study, to develop low-salt restructured tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) meat products, citric acid was used to improve the properties of restructured tilapia products.

RESULTS

In comparison with control restructured fish products (RP) and surimi products (SP), 0.2% citric acid-treated restructured fish products (RPC) and surimi products (SPC) showed a significant decrease in expressible water and water activity and a remarkable increase in whiteness, dry matter, hardness, chewiness, gumminess, and acceptability. Mechanistic studies suggested that citric acid significantly changed the content of total protein and myofibrillar proteins and promoted degradation of heavy myosin chains. Fourier-transform infrared and Raman spectra revealed the citric acid-mediated alteration in the peak intensities of amide I and amide II bands, which changed the secondary structures of RPC and SPC.

CONCLUSION

It is feasible to prepare low-salt restructured tilapia meat products using citric acid, which offers a means of using muscle by-products and exploiting new functional products with an added commercial value. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.