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Advances in Upcycling Underutilized Seafood Products for Food Applications

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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Foods of Marine Origin".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 23665

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Denise Skonberg

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Guest Editor

School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
Interests: seafood by-product utilization; processing effects on seafood quality; value added product development; aquaculture products

Dr. Janna Cropotova

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Guest Editor

Department of Biological Sciences, Ålesund Faculty of Natural Sciences, Ålesund, Norway
Interests: food preservation; nutritional quality; health benefits; seafood; food processing and storage; novel methods; rapid and non-invasive assessment; food deterioration; extraction of valuable ingredients; fish side streams; shelf-life prediction

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Our aquatic food systems, which provided more than 200 million tons of farm-raised and wild-harvested fish, shellfish, and algae in 2020 (FAO.org), are critically important for fostering food security around the globe. Ensuring their sustainable use in the face of significant environmental and societal change is a key pillar of the expanding blue economy. Currently, however, millions of metric tons of food loss are generated by the seafood industry each year, from harvest to processing. The development of new technologies and approaches to upcycle underutilized seafood resources into value-added food ingredients/products is essential for promoting the sustainable utilization of harvested aquatic food resources.

In the context of this Special Issue, “underutilized” refers to seafood processing side streams (e.g., heads, guts, skin, shell, stipes), bycatch, and aquatic species not commonly consumed (e.g., low-value seafood, invasive species) that hold tremendous potential for valorization. This Special Issue invites original research and review papers that address barriers or potential strategies for the transformation of these resource streams into safe, sustainable, functional, and consumer-acceptable food ingredients/products. Papers focusing on innovative preservation technologies or consumer acceptability of formulated upcycled products are particularly welcome.

Prof. Dr. Denise Skonberg
Dr. Janna Cropotova
Guest Editors

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Keywords

seafood processing
value-added products
byproduct streams
underutilized species
quality characterization
preservation technologies
formulated products
consumer acceptability
functional ingredients
economic feasibility

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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16 pages, 2975 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cryoprotective Effect of NADES on Frozen-Thawed Mirror Carp Surimi in Terms of Oxidative Denaturation, Structural Properties, and Thermal Stability of Myofibrillar Proteins

by Haijing Li, Qian Wang, Wenxin Li and Xiufang Xia

Foods 2023, 12(19), 3530; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12193530 - 22 Sep 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1542

Abstract

Quality degradation due to the formation and growth of ice crystals caused by temperature fluctuations during storage, transportation, or retailing is a common problem in frozen surimi. While commercial antifreeze is used as an ingredient in frozen surimi, its high sweetness does not meet the contemporary consumer demand for low sugar and low calories. Therefore, the development of new green antifreeze agents to achieve an enhanced frozen-thawed stability of surimi has received more attention. The aim of this study was to develop a cryoprotectant (a mixture of citric acid and trehalose) to enhance the frozen-thawed stability of surimi by inhibiting the oxidative denaturation and structural changes of frozen-thawed mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) surimi myofibrillar protein (MP). The results showed that the amounts of free amine, sulfhydryl, α-helix, intrinsic fluorescence intensity, and thermal stability in the control significantly decreased after five F-T cycles, while the Schiff base fluorescence intensity, amounts of disulfide bonds and surface hydrophobicity significantly increased (p < 0.05). Compared to sucrose + sorbitol (SS), the natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) effectively inhibited protein oxidation. After five F-T cycles, the α-helix content and Ca²⁺-ATPase activity of the NADES samples were 4.32% and 80.0%, respectively, higher, and the carbonyl content was 17.4% lower than those of the control. These observations indicate that NADES could inhibit oxidative denaturation and enhance the structural stability of MP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Upcycling Underutilized Seafood Products for Food Applications)

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14 pages, 2446 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Yam Bean (Pachyrhizus erosus L. Urban) Powder Improves Grass Carp Myofibrillar Protein Gel by Forming Disulfide Bonds, Hydrogen Bonds, and Proper Microstructure

by Geyao Song, Kun Yang, Di Wu, Weiwei Lu, Rongshuo Chi, Jing Ma and Weiqing Sun

Foods 2023, 12(10), 2072; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12102072 - 21 May 2023

Viewed by 1667

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the impact of different additions (0–1.25%) of yam bean powder (YBP) on myofibrillar protein (MP) gel characteristics such as the structure, water-holding capacity (WHC), chemical interaction strength of grass carp MP, and texture. The results showed that the YBP exhibited a strong water absorption capacity and filled in the protein heat-induced polymerization gel network well, which enabled the gel network to capture and retain water effectively, resulting in MP gels containing YBP with excellent WHC and gel strength (0.75%). In addition, YBP induced the formation of hydrogen and disulfide bonds in proteins and inhibited the conversion of α-helices to β-sheets and β-turn structures, facilitating the formation of high-strength gel networks (p < 0.05). In conclusion, YBP can significantly improve the thermally induced gelling properties of grass carp MP. In particular, the addition of 0.75% YBP had the best effect in terms of filling the gel network of grass carp MP, resulting in the formation of a continuous and dense protein network, leading to the composite gel with the best WHC and texture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Upcycling Underutilized Seafood Products for Food Applications)

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15 pages, 1720 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microbial Transglutaminase Cross-Linking Enhances the Textural and Rheological Properties of the Surimi-like Gels Made from Alkali-Extracted Protein Isolate from Catfish Byproducts and the Role of Disulfide Bonds in Gelling

by Yan Zhang and Sam K.C. Chang

Foods 2023, 12(10), 2029; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12102029 - 17 May 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1614

Abstract

The texture of surimi-like gels made from the protein isolate extracted from catfish byproducts has been proven to be brittle and lack elasticity. To address this issue, varying levels of microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) from 0.1 to 0.6 units/g were applied. MTGase had little effect on the color profile of gels. When MTGase at 0.5 units/g was employed, hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, chewiness, resilience, fracturablity, and deformation were increased by 218, 55, 12, 451, 115, 446, and 71%, respectively. A further increase in added MTGase did not lead to any textural improvement. In comparison to the gels made from fillet mince, the gels made from protein isolate were still lower in cohesiveness. Due to the activated endogenous transglutaminase, a setting step enhanced the textural properties of gels made from fillet mince. However, because of the endogenous proteases-induced protein degradation, the setting step led to a texture deterioration of the gels made from protein isolate. Gels made from protein isolate showed 23–55% higher solubility in reducing solution than in non-reducing solution, suggesting the vital role of disulfide bonds in the gelation process. Due to the different protein composition and conformation, fillet mince and protein isolate exhibited distinct rheological properties. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed the highly denatured protein isolate was susceptible to proteolysis and prone to disulfide formation during the gelation process. It also revealed that MTGase had an inhibitory effect on the proteolysis induced by endogenous enzymes. In view of the susceptibility of the protein isolate to proteolysis during gelation, future research should consider including other enzyme inhibitory agents in the presence of MTGase to improve the gel texture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Upcycling Underutilized Seafood Products for Food Applications)

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14 pages, 821 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Upgrading Marine Oils from Cod (Gadus morhua) On-Board the Deep-Sea Vessels—From Waste to Value

by Line Skontorp Meidell, Ana Karina Carvajal, Turid Rustad and Eva Falch

Foods 2023, 12(8), 1659; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12081659 - 16 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2454

Abstract

Significant amounts of marine raw material are lost on-board the deep-sea vessels due to fast quality degradation. Optimal on-board handling and processing strategies can upgrade these resources from waste to food ingredients rich in nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of raw material freshness and sorting on the quality, composition and yield of oil produced thermally from cod (Gadus morhua) residuals on-board a commercial trawler. Oil was produced from whole viscera fractions with liver or out-sorted livers right after a catch and after chilled storage for up to 6 days. The results showed that significantly higher oil yields could be obtained if the raw materials were stored for 1 day or longer. However, an undesired emulsion was formed when viscera were stored for 4 days. All oils were rich in health beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, but viscera oils had generally lower quality with higher levels of free fatty acids and oxidation products. However, out-sorting of the liver was not necessary to meet guidelines for high-quality fish oil. Both viscera and liver could be stored for up to 2 days at 4 °C prior to oil production and still meet quality criteria for food applications. These results demonstrate a large potential in upgrading currently wasted marine raw materials into high-quality food ingredients. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Upcycling Underutilized Seafood Products for Food Applications)

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17 pages, 3394 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pickering Emulsion Stabilized by Fish Myofibrillar Proteins Modified with Tannic Acid, as Influenced by Different Drying Methods

by Umesh Patil, Saqib Gulzar, Lukai Ma, Bin Zhang and Soottawat Benjakul

Foods 2023, 12(7), 1556; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071556 - 6 Apr 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2826

Abstract

A novel food-grade, particles-based Pickering emulsion (PE) was prepared from a marine source. Yellow stripe trevally is an under-utilized species. The use of its muscle protein as solid food-grade particles for the preparation of a Pickering emulsion can be a potential means of obtaining the natural nutritive emulsifier/stabilizer. Fish myofibrillar proteins (FMP) were modified with tannic acid (TA) at varying concentrations (0.125, 0.25, and 0.5%) followed by freeze-drying (FD) or spray-drying (SD). Physicochemical characteristics and emulsifying properties of obtained FMP-TA complexed particles were assessed for structural changes and oil-in-water emulsion stabilization. The addition of TA caused a reduction in surface hydrophobicity and total sulfhydryl content values for either FD-FMP or SD-FMP. Conversely, disulfide bond content was significantly increased, particularly when TA at 0.5% was used (p < 0.05). FTIR, spectrofluorometer, and the protein pattern also confirmed the cross-linking between FMP and TA. SD-FMP modified with 0.5% TA (SD-FMP-0.5TA) rendered the highest emulsifying stability index but had a lowered emulsifying activity index (p < 0.05). Confocal microscopic images, droplet size, and rheological properties revealed that a SD-FMP-0.5TA-stabilized emulsion had higher stability after 45 days of storage than an FD-FMP-0.5TA-stabilized emulsion. Therefore, the SD-FMP-0.5TA complex could be used as a potential food-grade stabilizer/emulsifier for PE with enhanced emulsifying properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Upcycling Underutilized Seafood Products for Food Applications)

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14 pages, 462 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Consumers’ Acceptance, Emotions, and Responsiveness to Informational Cues for Air-Fried Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) Skin Chips

by Silvia Murillo, Ryan Ardoin and Witoon Prinyawiwatkul

Foods 2023, 12(7), 1536; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071536 - 5 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2462

Abstract

Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) skins, as filleting byproduct, were developed into a crispy snack food via air-frying. Consumers rated catfish skin chips (CSC) across sensory modalities (9-point hedonic scales, a just-about-right scale, and “yes/no” for purchase intent, PI) for Plain-, Lemon & Pepper-, and Barbecue-flavored samples during two consumer studies (N = 115 each). Paprika- flavored CSC were excluded from Study 2 due to inferior acceptance and emotional ratings. CSC-elicited emotions were evaluated using a 25-term lexicon with CATA (Check-All-That-Apply) scaling (Study 1) and refined with an abbreviated lexicon containing food-evoked sensation-seeking emotions (5-point intensity scale). The two consumer studies differed in delivery format of product benefit information (a health/protein message and a food waste/sustainability message). Presenting two separate cues (Study 1) significantly increased overall liking (by 0.5 units) and PI (by 15%) for CSC compared to a single integrated message (Study 2), perhaps due to consumers’ mode of information processing. Magnitude of increases was less for Barbeque CSC despite performing best overall (overall liking reaching 6.62 and PI reaching 61.7%). CSC generated mostly positive emotions, and informational cues increased sensation-seeking feelings, which can motivate trial of new foods. Accordingly, acceptance of CSC improved for 25 repeat-exposure consumers who participated in both Studies 1 and 2. In combination, sensory, cognitive, and emotional data showed favorable responses for flavored CSC as an appropriate application of this seafood byproduct. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Upcycling Underutilized Seafood Products for Food Applications)

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15 pages, 2615 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of Histamine Removal by Electrodialysis from the Fermented Fish Sauce and Its Effects on the Flavor

by Yicheng Ding, Mengting Qiu, Xiaoling Tang, Renchao Zheng and Xuxia Zhou

Foods 2023, 12(6), 1325; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12061325 - 20 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2554

Abstract

Histamine is one of the most concerned safety indicators in fish sauce. Considering its charge property, electrodialysis (ED) was used to control the histamine in fish sauce, and studies were focused on three operating parameters: input current, pH, and flow velocity. A Box–Behnken design and response surface methodology was adopted to derive a statistical model, which indicated that 5.1 A input current, pH 3.8, and 40 L∙h⁻¹ flow velocity were optimal operation conditions. Under this condition, the histamine removal rate reached 53.41% and the histamine content met the allowable histamine limit of below 400 mg·kg⁻¹ in fish sauce, while the amino nitrogen (ANN) loss rate was only 15.46%. In addition, amino acids and volatile compounds changed differently during ED. As a result, with decreased histamine, the fish sauce after ED was also less salty and less fishy. The study first explored utilizing ED to remove histamine from fish sauce, which has positive implications for promoting the safety of aquatic products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Upcycling Underutilized Seafood Products for Food Applications)

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17 pages, 1627 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Inhibition of Chitosan Ice Coating on the Quality Deterioration of Quick-Frozen Fish Balls during Repeated Freeze–Thaw Cycles

by Lixin Chang, Ying Li, Xue Bai, Xiufang Xia and Weidong Xu

Foods 2023, 12(4), 717; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040717 - 7 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2300

Abstract

Chitosan ice coating’s properties and its inhibitory effect on the quality deterioration of quick-frozen fish balls during repeated freeze–thaw cycles were investigated. When the chitosan (CH) coating concentration increased, the viscosity and ice coating rate increased, while water vapor permeability (WVP), water solubility, and transmittance decreased, and 1.5% CH was regarded as the excellent coating to apply to freeze–thaw quick-frozen fish balls. As the freeze–thaw cycles increased, the frost production, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N) values, and free water content of all of the samples increased significantly (p < 0.05), and the whiteness values, textural properties, and water-holding capacity (WHC) decreased. Freeze–thaw cycles expanded the aperture between the muscle fibers and the occurrence of crystallization and recrystallization between cells increased, damaging the original intact tissue structure, which were confirmed by SEM and optical microscopy. Compared with the untreated ones, the frost production, free water, and TVB-N of the samples with 1.5% CH decreased during 1, 3, 5, and 7 cycles, and were reduced by 23.80%, 32.21%, 30.33%, and 52.10% by the 7th cycle. The WHC and texture properties showed an increasing trend during the freeze–thaw cycles. Therefore, the chitosan ice coating effectively inhibited the quality deterioration by reducing water loss, the occurrence of ice crystallization and recrystallization, and the pores of the samples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Upcycling Underutilized Seafood Products for Food Applications)

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Review

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25 pages, 433 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Transformation of Seafood Side-Streams and Residuals into Valuable Products

by Shahida Anusha Siddiqui, Henning Schulte, Daniel Pleissner, Stephanie Schönfelder, Kristine Kvangarsnes, Egidijus Dauksas, Turid Rustad, Janna Cropotova, Volker Heinz and Sergiy Smetana

Foods 2023, 12(2), 422; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12020422 - 16 Jan 2023

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4817

Abstract

Seafood processing creates enormous amounts of side-streams. This review deals with the use of seafood side-streams for transformation into valuable products and identifies suitable approaches for making use of it for different purposes. Starting at the stage of catching fish to its selling point, many of the fish parts, such as head, skin, tail, fillet cut-offs, and the viscera, are wasted. These parts are rich in proteins, enzymes, healthy fatty acids such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated ones, gelatin, and collagen. The valuable biochemical composition makes it worth discussing paths through which seafood side-streams can be turned into valuable products. Drawbacks, as well as challenges of different aquacultures, demonstrate the importance of using the various side-streams to produce valuable compounds to improve economic performance efficiency and sustainability of aquaculture. In this review, conventional and novel utilization approaches, as well as a combination of both, have been identified, which will lead to the development of sustainable production chains and the emergence of new bio-based products in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Upcycling Underutilized Seafood Products for Food Applications)

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