Tanyamon Petcharat

Collagenous derivatives (collagen, gelatin, and collagenous hydrolysate (CH)) are extensively used across the food, biomedical, and pharmaceutical industries. Traditionally, these have been sourced from porcine, bovine, and fish due to their ready availability and biocompatibility. However, conventional collagenous derivatives face ongoing challenges regarding sustainability, resource intensity, and socio-cultural perceptions. This has led to the exploration of alternative collagenous derivatives from unconventional sources, with a primary focus on evaluating their potential for yields, extractability, and functional properties, all of which are fundamental for future scale-up and alternative applications. This review summarizes alternative collagenous derivatives from unconventional animals, including amphibians, mollusks, echinoderms, insects, unconventional fish and byproducts, and reptiles. Their structures, extraction techniques, functional properties, and potential applications are comprehensively summarized, showcasing their ability to complement or even surpass conventional sources in specific uses. Additionally, the challenges and prospects for industrial application, emphasizing the sustainability of meeting growing collagen demand and encouraging further research into these promising alternative sources, were discussed. Unconventional collagenous derivatives demonstrate excellent and unique characteristics as alternatives to conventional ones. Type I collagen from amphibians, reptiles, and mollusks had superior thermal stability. Unconventional gelatin and CH also possess various bio-functionalities that can enhance their potential applications. The relatively low extraction yield could be addressed by increasing the concentration of chemicals or extraction time and incorporating green technology without causing an adverse impact on the quality. These findings indicate the potential applications of unconventional collagenous derivatives as food ingredients and supplements. Graphical Abstract

The increasing demand for sustainable and functional plant-based foods has driven interest in 3D food printing technologies, which require bioinks with tailored rheological and structural properties. This study investigated the effects of transglutaminase (TGase) on the structure–function relationships of plant protein bioinks from fava bean, mung bean, pea, and soybean. TNBS assays showed a dose-dependent increase in crosslinking (27.46–64.57%), with soybean and pea proteins exhibiting the highest reactivity (p < 0.05). ¹H-NMR confirmed protein-specific ε-(γ-glutamyl)lysine bond formation, and synchrotron FTIR revealed TGase-induced α-helix reduction and β-sheet enrichment, indicative of network formation across all proteins. SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated TGase-mediated polymerization with high-molecular-weight aggregates, particularly pronounced in soybean, while SEM images revealed denser, more continuous protein networks compared to untreated samples. Rheological characterization showed enhanced viscoelasticity and shear-thinning behavior in all bioinks, supporting extrusion and post-printing stability. Textural analysis indicated improvements in hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, and chewiness across all proteins, with soybean and fava showing the most pronounced increases. These results demonstrate that TGase is a versatile tool for reinforcing plant protein networks, improving printability, structural integrity, and texture in 3D-printed foods, while highlighting protein-specific differences in response.

Confectionery products, specifically jelly and gummy, require optimized structural, thermal, and nutritional properties for functionality and consumer acceptance. This study investigated the impact of furcellaran (FUR) and calcium L-threonate (Ca) on the physicochemical and the sensory properties of fish gelatin-based jelly (JFG). Furcellaran modestly enhanced gel strength and hardness, while its combination with calcium L-threonate produced synergistic improvements, with JFG-FUR-Ca achieving the highest gel strength (947.63 g) and hardness (78.14 N). Microstructural and intermolecular force analyses indicated that Ca²⁺ bridging between gelatin and furcellaran promoted ionic and hydrogen bonding, forming a dense and thermostable network. The combined incorporation of furcellaran and calcium L-threonate enhanced the rheological properties while preserving low syneresis. Sensory evaluation revealed minor reductions; however, overall acceptability was higher than 7. Calcium bioavailability after digestion through the gastrointestinal tract model remained high (70–80%), confirming effective calcium fortification. The synergistic incorporation of furcellaran and calcium L-threonate effectively improved the structural integrity, thermal stability, and calcium bioavailability of fish gelatin-based jelly, while maintaining acceptable sensory qualities, highlighting its potential as a functional calcium-fortified confectionery product.

Fish gelatin (FG) is a promising alternative to mammalian gelatin but is limited by poor gelling ability, low gel strength, and inability to set at room temperature. This study evaluated the effects of furcellaran (FUR), a gelling agent, on the structural and physicochemical properties of FG gels at different substitution levels (25–100%). The addition of 25% FUR improved gel strength and hardness. However, higher FUR levels (>50%) led to reduced springiness and increased syneresis. Intermolecular force measurements revealed that ionic and hydrogen bonds were crucial in the FG/FUR gel system, with higher levels of FUR promoting stronger ionic and hydrogen bonding. Color changes were observed with decreased L* and increased b* and ∆E* values as FUR levels rose. Gelling and melting points also increased proportionally with FUR content. Microstructural analysis showed denser gel networks with smaller gaps upon FUR incorporation. SAXS analysis confirmed enhanced structural conformation with higher FUR levels. An appropriate level of FUR added (25%) could therefore improve gelling properties via increasing gel strength and gelling temperature without negative effects on springiness and syneresis of resulting gel.

The utilization of gelatin capsule waste (GCW) poses a challenge for the industry. This study investigates its potential as a functional food ingredient by evaluating the physico-chemical, rheological, and techno-functional properties of gelatin capsule waste powder (GCWP). To achieve this, the gelatin capsule waste (GCW) was mixed with maltodextrin at varying ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, and 1:5) and subjected to spray drying. The findings highlight maltodextrin’s crucial role in stabilizing the drying process, reducing stickiness, and enhancing handling and storage properties. All the obtained GCWP samples appeared light white and had a slightly sticky texture. The 1:5 (w/w) GCW-to-maltodextrin ratio produced the highest powder recovery with minimal stickiness, indicating enhanced drying efficiency. Increasing maltodextrin reduced gel strength, texture, and foaming properties while raising the glass transition temperature. The FTIR analysis indicated a decline in protein–protein interactions and increased polysaccharide interactions at higher maltodextrin levels. The rheological analysis demonstrated lower elastic and loss moduli with increased maltodextrin, affecting GCWP’s structural behavior. For overall properties, the GCW mixed with maltodextrin at a 1:1 ratio (GCW-1M) is recommended for future applications, particularly for its gelling characteristics. The GCW-1M, being rich in amino acids, demonstrates its potential as a functional food ingredient. However, certain properties, such as gel strength and powder stability (hygroscopicity and stickiness), require further optimization to enhance its industrial applicability as a functional food ingredient.

Food Science of Animal Resources (Food Sci. Anim. Resour.) is an international, peer-reviewed bimonthly journal publishing original research and reviews on basic and applied aspects of the use of animal resources including the meat, egg, dairy, and edible insect/worm products. Food Sci. Anim. Resour. is published and distributed by the Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources.

This study aimed to improve the quality of sterilised chicken bread spread (S-BS) fortified with silkworm pupae using binders (soy protein isolate (SP) and sodium caseinate (SC)). The characteristics of pasteurised chicken bread spread (P-BS) and S-BS were studied. S-BS was browner than P-BS, as indicated by the higher b* value. The higher total expressible fluid (TEF) in S-BS resulted in lower stickiness and spreadability values than those in P-BS, resulting in lower scores for appearance, taste, and overall preference for S-BS. Optimised types (SP and SC) and levels (0% (control), 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) of binders for improving S-BS quality were evaluated. The TEF of S-BS significantly decreased with increased SP and SC levels (). SP showed a higher capacity to reduce TEF in S-BS than SC. Increased binder levels resulted in higher shear resistance during compression than the control sample, as indicated by the higher firmness, stickiness, and spreadability. The scores for appearance, colour, texture, and overall preference of S-BS with SC were higher than those of the sample with SP. The suitable binder level was 2% to improve the S-BS quality. The highest preference was shown for S-BS with 2% SC for all sensory attributes.

The quality characterization of different parts of male and female Ligor hybrid chickens was investigated and compared with those of commercial broiler. Genotypes, muscle types, and sex had effects on the composition, physicochemical, and textural properties of chicken samples. Ligor hybrid chicken contained higher percentages of protein, moisture, ash, and collagen content but lower fat content than those of commercial broiler (p < 0.05), except in the case of breast, where no significant difference in moisture and ash was observed (p ≥ 0.05). The pH in breast meat of both chickens was lower than that of thigh meat. The color (L*, a*, and b*) values of male and female chickens were not significantly different, except for the L* value of broiler chicken, which was higher in female chickens than in male chickens. Higher cooking loss and shear force were found in male Ligor hybrid chicken. A similar protein pattern was observed for the protein from the same muscle type, irrespective of sex and genotype tested. It was observed that Ligor hybrid chicken contained higher glutamic acid and aspartic acid than commercial broilers. Therefore, Ligor hybrid chicken is a promising new source of nutrition, which can be beneficial for consumers.

Effects of furcellaran, powder (FURP) and solution (FURS), incorporation (2‐8% based on surimi solid content) on gel properties of sardine (Sardinella albella) surimi were investigated. Breaking force, hardness, gumminess, chewiness, and whiteness of gels increased with increasing FURP or FURS contents (P < 0.05), where the highest values were observed in gel containing 8% FURS (P < 0.05). Expressible moisture content of gel decreased as levels of furcellaran increased (P < 0.05). The gel deformation, springiness, and cohesiveness were not affected by furcellaran (P > 0.05) as well as the polymerization of myosin heavy chain as visualised by SDS‐PAGE. FURP and FURS could enhance the interconnection between chains during heating as indicated by the higher G′. Addition of furcellaran, especially FURS, up to 6% increased sensory property of resulting gel (P < 0.05). Anywise, an abatement in overall likeness score was found in gel with 8% FURS. Finer and denser microstructural network was observed in gel containing 6% FURS when compared to control. Therefore, furcellaran, prepared as solution, at an appropriate level can improve the overall quality of sardine surimi.