Structural and mechanical properties of fish gelatin as a function of extraction conditions

The effect of 18 different extraction conditions on yield, weight average molecular weight, dynamic storage modulus, gelling and melting temperature, and helix recovery was studied. Gelatins were extracted from saithe (Pollachius virens) skins with an average yield of 8.9 ± 0.8% (average ± S.D.; n = 54), on a wet weight basis. High weight average molecular weight gelatins extracted at room temperature exhibit higher resulting dynamic storage modulus, higher gelling and melting temperatures and more helix formation compared to highly hydrolyzed gelatins extracted under harsher conditions. The storage modulus was increased 5 times compared to commercial cold water fish gelatin. The highest gelling and melting temperatures observed for 5% (w/v) fish gelatin were 8 °C and 16 °C, respectively. The present study suggests that the dynamic storage modulus, gelling and melting temperatures and helix content are related and increase with increasing weight average molecular weight up to about 250 kg/mol. The dynamic storage modulus correlates with the helix concentration according to the previously published correlation between dynamic storage modulus and helix concentration, which has been defined as the master curve for gelatin.