Trypsins from fish processing waste: characteristics and biotechnological applications - comprehensive review

Today, there is an increasing demand for fish proteolytic enzymes in food industries. During processing, large quantities of waste are generated and discarded. These wastes, which represent an environmental problem to the fishing industry, constitute an important source of proteolytic enzymes and protein. The most important digestive enzymes from fish and aquatic invertebrate viscera are trypsins. These enzymes have a high activity over a wide range of pH and temperature conditions and exhibit high catalytic activity at relatively low concentration. These characteristics have made them suitable for different applications in many food processing operations. Considering the specific characteristics of these enzymes, fish processing by-products are currently used for trypsins extraction. This review describes the characteristics and various applications of fish trypsins in detergents, carotenoproteins extraction from shrimp waste, and protein hydrolysates production. Considering their biological significance and their increasing importance in biotechnology, a thorough understanding of fish trypsins functioning is needed. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.