The fisheries and marine sector cannot be overlooked in efforts to improve the living standards of coastal communities. In addition to marine fish production, freshwater fish is also produced from pond, lake, and public water fisheries. Freshwater aquaculture species include tawes fish, catfish, tilapia, Nile tilapia, gourami, snakehead fish, carp, and others. While saltwater aquaculture species include milkfish, tiger prawns, whiteleg prawns, mullet, snapper, white shrimp, crabs, clams, etc.
Increased fish production is also accompanied by an increase in fish waste, including fish skin and scales. Waste from the fisheries sector is not only produced by Fish Landing Sites (TPI) but also by small-scale industries involved in fish smoking, fish presto, shrimp paste, and salted fish. Currently, there are no efforts to further process marine and fisheries waste such as fish skin and scales. Therefore, the innovative idea from the Research Team of the Industrial Chemical Engineering Technology Study Program (TRKI) at Undip Vocational School, namely Endy Yulianto, Malika Pintanada Kaladinanty, and Najwa Putri Indira Kusuma, is attempting to develop a collagen product. Malika Pintanada Kaladinanty, commonly known as Malika, stated that fish skin and scale waste can be utilized as raw materials for collagen production. Collagen is a connective tissue protein found abundantly in animals. Collagen has various uses, including as an additive in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and photography industries. Collagen from fish and marine waste has various advantages over collagen obtained from livestock (poultry) waste. These advantages include: being BSE-free, having more diverse uses (it can be used in the food industry), being inexpensive (using waste as raw material), and the demand for collagen continues to increase, said Malika.
Endy revealed that the process of producing collagen from fish skin and scales can be done thru an extraction process using acetic acid or enzymes. The extraction process using acetic acid has several advantages, including high yield and easier and cheaper production.
It is hoped that by applying extraction technology, a high yield in collagen production will be obtained. This innovative idea is expected to be followed up and applied by fish-producing fishing groups and SMEs operating in the fisheries and marine sector, so that collagen production can become one of the product diversification options for the fisheries and marine industry, said Endy. Najwa added that the production of collagen from fish skin and scales, for fishing groups and SMEs operating in the fisheries and marine sector, is expected to be able to apply collagen production technology from fish skin and scales as an option for product diversification and waste utilization. It can increase the economic value of products from the fisheries and marine sector and have a positive impact on fishing groups and SMEs in terms of increasing income and opening up job opportunities and business prospects. Collagen extraction technology from fish skin and scales using acetic acid can be developed and applied by fish processing and canning industries to increase added value and diversify fisheries and marine products.
Additionally, it will serve as a reference for local governments in formulating macro policies to increase and develop the contribution of the fisheries and marine sector to economic activities in the region. As information for the Fisheries and Marine Service and related Services to establish technical policies regarding the program and its development areas, concluded Najwa.