Fish Waste: From Problem to Valuable Resource

Abstract

Following the growth of the global population and the subsequent rapid increase in urbanization and industrialization, the fisheries and aquaculture production has seen a massive increase driven mainly by the development of fishing technologies. Accordingly, a remarkable increase in the amount of fish waste has been produced around the world; it has been estimated that about two-thirds of the total amount of fish is discarded as waste, creating huge economic and environmental concerns. For this reason, the disposal and recycling of these wastes has become a key issue to be resolved. With the growing attention of the circular economy, the exploitation of underused or discarded marine material can represent a sustainable strategy for the realization of a circular bioeconomy, with the production of materials with high added value. In this study, we underline the enormous role that fish waste can have in the socio-economic sector. This review presents the different compounds with high commercial value obtained by fish byproducts, including collagen, enzymes, and bioactive peptides, and lists their possible applications in different fields.

Farmed Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata) by-Products Valorization: Viscera Oil ω-3 Enrichment by Short-Path Distillation and In Vitro Bioactivity Evaluation

“…The reduction of food loss and waste, as well as their valorization, is crucial to achieve the goal of "zero waste". Considering that environmental sustainability is closely linked to economic sustainability, scientific and technical knowledge is essential to outline the road map of more sustainable business models and to optimize the efficiency of aquatic resource utilization [1][2][3], according to the 2030 agenda. In view to target the 14th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (devoted to the proper utilization of the "resources below the water") and considering the pivotal role of aquaculture in satisfying the global demand for fish products, the contribution of this industry to the production of by-products must be properly managed at the national and regional levels.…”

“…It is well-known that marine oils are an excellent source of ω-3 long chain, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These particular classes of PUFA are common in marine organisms; in particular, PUFAs are synthesized in microalgae and tend to significantly accumulate in fatty fish and in the oil extracted from these organisms and their by-products [1,[4][5][6][7][8][9].…”

“…The utilization of by-products from fisheries and aquaculture, according to the principles of the circular economy, will turn "waste into profit", indicating more sustainable business models and optimizing the efficiency of aquatic resource utilization [1]. Companies, in fact, will have a direct economic return from the commercialization of bio-products and an indirect return from the reduction waste to be sent to landfills [25,39,40].…”

Preparation and Characterization of Thermally Stable Collagens from the Scales of Lizardfish (Synodus macrops)

“…Sourour Addad et al (2011) obtained collagen from Jellyfish [11], Tziveleka et al (2017) isolated the collagen from marine sponges Axinella cannabina and Suberites carnosus [12] and skin and Cruz-López et al (2018) extracted collagen from gulf corvina skin and swim bladder [10]. As reported in the literature, the marine collagen market is expected to reach USD 983.84 million by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 7.4% [13]. Marine collagen, compared with collagen from terrestrial sources, is more easily extracted [2], has high biocompatibility [5], is without the risks of animal diseases and pathogens; has a higher absorption capacity (up to 1.5 times more efficient entry into the body), and is not associated with religious and ethical restrictions [14,15].…”

Fish and Shellfish-Derived Anti-Inflammatory Protein Products: Properties and Mechanisms

“…A promising method for SPB utilization is the chemical, microbial, or enzymatic hydrolysis of byproduct into protein hydrolysates containing bioactive peptides [ 17 ]. Bioactive protein hydrolysates (BPHs) can be utilized outright, or be subdivided into highly bioactive fractions and bioactive peptides (BAPs) [ 18 , 19 , 20 ].…”