Functional and Bioactive Properties of Gelatin Extracted from Aquatic Bioresources – A Review

Gelatin, which is widely used in the food industry, is a protein derived from partial denaturation of collagen. The primary sources of industrial gelatin are porcine skin or bovine hide, but their utilization is restricted due to disease outbreaks and on religious grounds. Therefore, gelatin derived from aquatic organisms is attracting widespread interest and can be a good source for harvesting of such proteins. Also, numerous studies have demonstrated bioactive (mainly antioxidant and antihypertensive) properties of enzymatic hydrolysates of aquatic gelatins. This review summarizes sources, significance, functional and bioactive properties of aquatic gelatins as revealed by recent studies.