Researchers of IPB Researched the Skin of Baronang Fish as the Source of Collagen
Dr. Mala Nurilmala, Prof.Dr. Nurjanah, and Novalia Eka Putri, the research team of the Department of Aquatic Product Technology (THP), Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science (FPIK), Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), did the research on collagen from the skin of baronang fish. This research was part of the Research of the Institution of the Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education (Kemenristekdikti) of RI.
Collagen was the most abundant protein contained in the body of the living creature with about 30% of the total protein overall. The collagen was widely used in the field of biomedicine, cosmetics, and food. In the field of biomedicine, the collagen was used as the drug delivery system, the implant, the regeneration in the replacement of the bone tissue, the contraceptives, the membrane oxygenators, and the homeostatic agents. In the field of cosmetics, the collagen was used as the preventative of premature aging (antiaging). While in the field of food, the collagen was widely used as the emulsifier.
All this time, the collagen was mostly produced from cowhide or pig skin. However, the use of the collagen derived from these mammals had limitations from religious and health aspects. Therefore, the collagen made from the fish skin waste could be the alternative to meet the need of the collagen. The baronang fish was one of the important economical fish and its demand was increasing from year to year.
The baronang fish could already be cultivated, so that its availability was increasing. This fish was classified as the big fish, so that it could be used as the fish fillet. This fish had a savory taste and contained a high protein. In the fillet industry it could produce enough skin waste, so that it could be used as the raw material of the collagen. The skin had a better potential in producing the collagen, because it had a higher rendemen compared to the bone.
The research result showed that the collagen produced from the skin of the baronang fish contained major amino acids, such as the glycine, the proline, the arginine, and the alanine.
“Other type of fish can also contain the collagen. Usually, the collagen is plentifully contained in the skin, the thicker the fish skin the more and more collagen contained. Other fish that have been studied their collagen contents are the catfish, the red indigo, the tuna, the red snapper, the kakak tua,” she explained. (ww/Zul)
