Utilization of Fish Byproduct in Edible Films: A Sustainable Approach to Improving Fillet Shelf Life

Seafood has attracted attention in recent years. In this context, it is aimed to investigate the effectiveness of lectin obtained from mucus containing many defense molecules, including immunoglobulins, on fillet quality as an enriching component in biofilm coatings, and to evaluate the effectiveness of aquaculture waste as a preservative in the food industry within the scope of green chemistry applications, sustainability, and green product targets. In line with this objective, lectin (LCT) is purified from mucus by three-phase partitioning (TPP) method in the first phase; then, in the second phase, chitosan (Ch) based coating solution is enriched with LCT (0.04 mg/L); and in the last phase, fillets are coated with this solution and fillet quality parameters are monitored by microbiological, chemical, and sensory analyses at certain intervals during 12 days of storage (at +4°C ± 1°C). According to the findings, the coating enriched with LCT caused relative changes in appearance, color, and a* value among sensory tests, but these changes are not statistically significant. Based on the findings of this modeling study, the LCT-enriched coating has significant potential as an active coating for the preservation of food quality. This indicates its suitability for application as a green active packaging solution.