Emerging Nonthermal Technologies for the Processing of Fish Waste and By-Products

Fish production has steadily increased as a result of industrialization and advancements in fishing technology. Along with this, there has been a significant rise in the amount of fish waste produced, necessitating the disposal and recycling of this waste. Fish waste comprises the head, bones, skin, scales, blood, and viscera. Minerals, vitamins, proteins, and polyunsaturated fatty acids are highly concentrated in these. Conventional recovery methods for processing and extraction of bioactive components often use heat and are limited due to excessive energy consumption, loss of functional properties, poor stability of end-product, and manufacturing cost. Nonthermal processes like supercritical fluid technology, pulsed electric field, high-pressure processing, ozone technology, ultrasound treatment, membrane processing, cold plasma, etc., offer high processing efficiency with minimal loss of nutritional components. The chapter provides insight into the principles and current developments of novel nonthermal technologies that are employed in the processing of fish waste and by-products.