Fish glue from tilapia scale and skin and its physical and chemical characters

Abstract

Fish glue is impure gelatin (collagen) prepared from fish heads, bones and skins. Fish glue is known for value added product from fish processing by-products as the adhesive agent. A fine looking, attractive and very good quality glue was prepared from wastes sample of tilapia fish. Firstly tilapia was assessed to know their body proportions (muscle, head, frame, skin, scale, intestine and fin). Assessments were made on the proximate composition, specific gravity, pH value, flammability and sensory quality (colour) of the glue obtained. Protein contents were higher in both scales and skins. Collagen mainly constituted proteins in both scales and skins which transformed into glue after heating. The crude protein content in glue ranged from 51.14±2.15% to 65.67±1.07% with higher value in tilapia skin and lower in tilapia scale glue. Lipid contents were drastically reduced in two glues. Ash and moisture contents had similar pattern. The pH of glue ranged between 3. 26 to 3.42. Very good looking and attractive coloured glues were prepared from tilapia wastes samples.