Protein Isolation and Functional Characterization from Aquatic Systems
Summary
Proteins derived from fish, shellfish and other marine organisms represent an underexploited resource with considerable nutritional, functional and bioactive potential. Isolation strategies range from mechanical separation and solvent or salt extraction to more advanced pH-shift processing, membrane filtration, flocculation and flotation. Such techniques aim to recover proteins from filleting by-products, process waters and low-value co-streams while minimising waste and energy consumption. Once isolated, proteins are characterised by their solubility, emulsifying and foaming capacity, gelation behaviour and rheological properties. These functional attributes determine suitability for food formulations, nutraceuticals and biomaterials. Concurrent assessment of nutritional quality, amino acid profile and oxidative stability ensures that isolates maintain safety, palatability and shelf life. Modern approaches increasingly integrate green processing tools—such as ultrasound, high-pressure or enzymatic treatments—to enhance yield, reduce chemical use and tailor functionality. The drive towards circular aquaculture and seafood industries has underscored the global importance of efficient protein recovery and characterisation from diverse aquatic matrices.
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Protein Isolation and Functional Characterization from Aquatic Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in protein isolation and functional characterization from aquatic systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
pH-shift processing: Sequential alkaline and acidic solubilisation and precipitation steps used to separate proteins from lipids and minerals in aquatic biomass.
Ultrasound-assisted extraction: Use of high-frequency sound waves to disrupt tissue structure, enhancing mass transfer and protein release.
Flocculation: Aggregation of suspended proteins or particles induced by addition of a binding agent or change in pH, facilitating separation.
Dissolved air flotation (DAF): A separation technique that introduces microbubbles to attach to flocculated material, causing it to rise for collection.
Lipid oxidation stability: The resistance of recovered proteins to oxidative degradation, often assessed by formation of malondialdehyde or related aldehydes.
References
- Ultrasound-aided pH-shift processing for resource-smart valorization of salmon and herring side streams. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry (2023).
- Role of lingonberry press cake in producing stable herring protein isolates via pH-shift processing: A dose response study. Food Chemistry X (2024).
- Protein and Long-Chain n‑3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Recovered from Herring Brines upon Flocculation and FlotationA Case Study. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (2023).
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