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Acquatic Food Products Division Lecture: Total utilization of fin fish |
J. M. REGENSTEIN, Dept. of Food Science, Cornell Univ., 8 Stocking Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-7201 The pork industry is proud of the fact that they use everything but the "oink." Because fish are quiet, it is clear that we can and must do better. Total utilization of finfish waste, i.e., what remains when filleting fish, is a concept whose time has come as we focus on sustainability. Traditionally the larger fish processing plants did capture everything as fishmeal, but is this the best way to go? Some of this waste contains "human food grade" materials that ought to be used in minced fish products. People who do not eat fish fillets or whole fish, need to have fish choices that give them the health benefits of fish without necessarily getting it in traditional forms. Minced fish products can mimic most beef hamburger products, e.g., fish chili, fish lasagna, fish taco filling, fish sausage, fish meatloaf, etc. Other parts of the fish also need to be used to produce more value added products such as fish gelatin from fish skins and bones. And can the remaining bone waste be used as a calcium source? Fish scales may be usable as a flocculating agent with food waste streams so they can be recycled into animal feed rather than landfilled. And the viscera as food, e.g., stomachs for the Korean market, jitterlings from the intestines, and often some very unique enzymes from the gut tract, particularly enzymes that operate at lower temperatures all need to be studied and commercialized. High quality fish oils needs to be both produced and made into typical oil containing products (e.g., mayonnaise, salad dressing, etc.). All of these are opportunities that need to be further researched and more importantly, translated into real products that help companies and the fish industry make money.
Session 40, Aquatic Food Products: Surimi and proteins
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