# Marine Gelatine from Rest Raw Materials
## 2 Properties and Applications of Marine-Derived Gelatine
### Comparison of Fish and Mammalian Gelatine
For this reason, numerous attempts have been made to improve their gel-forming and viscoelastic properties. This can be overcome by increasing gelatine concentrations or by using gelatine mixtures (of cold and warm-water fish). [PERSON] & [PERSON] [33] have compared different textural properties of gelatine desserts obtained from cold- (_Alaskan pollock_) and warm-water (tilapia) fish species with commercial mammalian-based gelatines. Gel strength and rheological propertiesof cold-water fish gelatines were less desirable compared to pure pig skin and tilapia gelatines, but mixtures of said gelatines exhibited much improved properties. The authors concluded that desserts made from fish gelatines would be more similar to desserts made from high bloom pork skin gelatine by (a) increasing the concentration of gelatine or (b) by using gelatine mixtures. In addition, the gel desserts made from fish gelatines melted at lower temperature, which may accelerate the flavor release in such food products. Although cold-water fish gelatines tend to possess lower gel strength compared to warm-water fish gelatines, cold maturation time should also be considered when creating gelatine-based products. [PERSON] et al. [29] have reported on the importance of prolonged maturation at low temperature in the case of hake gelatine. They concluded that longer maturation time might be required to allow growth of existing nucleation sites within gelatine, since cold-water fish gelatine possesses a lower percentage of \(\beta\)- and \(\gamma\)- components compared to individual \(\alpha\)-chains as found in hake gelatine. The gelling temperature of cold-water fish gelatine is usually below 8-10 \({}^{\circ}\)C, which enables it to be used as a base for light-sensitive coatings, since it is a good medium for precipitation of silver halide emulsions at lower temperature than warm-blooded animal gelatine [34]. On the other hand, this limits the use of such gelatines as gelling components in food production. Despite being a techno-functional disadvantage, lower melting and setting points of fish gelatine may be useful in development of certain food products, due to a better release of aromas and imparting stronger flavour [35]. Absorption of ingested fish collagen is up to 1.5 times more efficient, indicating its superior bioavailability over bovine or porcine types. Due to its more efficient absorption, it is considered to be the best source of collagen for pharmaceutical applications [36]. Religious concerns and disease outbreaks including bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) have resulted in a desire for gelatine replacement hydrocolloids and alternatives to mammalian sourced gelatine. Although the physical properties of most of the cold-water fish sourced gelatines are not ideal compared to mammalian gelatines (pig skin, cattle hide) their advantage is almost universal acceptability in terms of religious beliefs [37]. Eleven of the major gelatine and collagen peptide manufacturers in Europe are part of The Gelatine Manufacturers of Europe (GME), an association founded in 1974. More than 98% of the European gelatine and collagen production is accounted by these manufacturers, which amounts to 33% of the total worldwide production [23].