Protease enzymes are important industrial enzymes that have diverse applications in food, leather, silk and the agrichemical and pharmaceutical industries. Fish are considered one of the richest sources of proteolytic enzymes.
Enzymes obtained from fish- and shellfish-processing wastes can be used in the making of a number of useful products. Lipase enzymes from fish can break down lipids, while amylases hydrolyze starch.
Fish protein hydrolysates obtained from fish-processing wastes can be used to make valuable ingredients for the food and healthcare industries. Hydrolysates are produced from fish muscle and viscera through an autolytic process by endogenous enzymes or an accelerated method using exogenous enzymes.
Protein hydrolysates can be produced by acid, base or enzymatic hydrolysis processes. Acid hydrolysis produces salt that makes the product unsuitable for food and destroys some essential amino acids. An optimum process for one fish or shellfish by-product may not be optimum for another.
Salmon production has long been dominated by Norway, while the United States, Canada and United Kingdom have experienced slow expansion in recent years, and Chile saw a fall and rebound in volume. Norwegian product leads fresh salmon imports in European markets, but increases in price can shift sourcing to Ireland and the U.K.
Fish protein hydrolysates have been used in the food industry for the development of antioxidants, emulsifiers, flavoring agents, anti-bacterial agents and feed. As natural products, they have a growing acceptance, since natural products are preferred by some consumers over industrial products.
The authors conducted research to improve the uptake of mussel seed in artificial collectors and optimize the amount of seed used in mussel farming.
A variety of factors combine to limit seafood consumption. Seafood is perceived to be expensive, and safety perceptions influence consumer buying decisions. Culture and tradition also play roles in forging seafood-eating habits.
Color can impact the price of shrimp, with dark red preferred in some markets. Research using colorimeters to quantify color in raw and cooked shrimp found that although shrimp raised on white or black substrates exhibited different coloration, total carotenoid levels were the same in all the animals.
The social and environmental improvements – in combination with job-generating foreign investment – have led to wide acceptance of shrimp farming in Bangladesh.
The Czech Republic is one of Europe’s largest fish producers and the world’s fourth-largest producer of freshwater ornamental and aquarium fish.
Korea has always had a love for seafood. Aquaculture is now playing an increasing role in supplying that seafood. High consumption of fish has been associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome in men, but not women.
In a survey, 500 consumers from the United Kingdom, Russia, France, Germany and Sweden rated salmon second overall to chicken and ahead of pork and beef. Salmon scored high in all countries for healthiness.
Overall costs for hand filleting tilapia relate primarily to labor and the throughput of fish to be filleted. Labor is the largest expense. Salaries vary, and cutters’ yield efficiencies increase with practice.
An analysis of tilapia processing in which the cost of the fish was not included found that automated cutting of fillets was significantly less expensive than hand cutting.
Seafood has played a prominent role in Japan’s food history. The country helped spread sushi, surimi and tempura, and fish consumption by the Japanese is still among the highest in the world. Their taste for seafood also contributes to better health.