The utilization of milkfish bone as a gelatin source for biopolymers offers an innovative approach that reduces waste and adds value to fishery byproducts. This study aims to characterize gelatin extracted from milkfish bone (Chanos chanos) and assess its potential for use in biodegradable film production. Gelatin extraction was conducted using 4.65% hydrochloric acid (HCl) for ~27 h at 89.92 ℃, and biodegradable films were prepared via the casting method using 10% (w/v) gelatin and 15% (v/v) glycerol. Comprehensive physicochemical analyses were performed, including measurements of moisture, ash, protein content, pH, freezing/melting points, viscosity, and gel strength. Structural and morphological characteristics were examined through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), while mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, elongation at break, and film thickness were also evaluated. The results revealed that milkfish bone gelatin had 7.47% moisture, 84.32% protein, and 1.80% ash content, meeting Indonesian National Standard (SNI) specifications. Additionally, the pH of milkfish bone gelatin (4.39) was lower than that of commercial gelatin (6.25), and it exhibited higher freezing/melting points, but lower viscosity (14.8 cP) and gel strength (9.52 N) than commercial gelatin (15.0 cP, 16.82 N). FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of the gelatin’s characteristic spectrum, while the SEM analysis revealed a more porous surface structure than that of the commercial gelatin. The resulting mechanical properties of the milkfish bone gelatin displayed lower tensile strength (1.03 MPa) and elongation at break (151.58%) compared to the films made from commercial gelatin (6.10 MPa, 223.38%). Despite these limitations, the milkfish bone-derived gelatin demonstrates significant potential as a raw material for biodegradable film applications.
Masirah et al. (Sat,) studied this question.