Sains Malaysiana 54(11)(2025): 165-174

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2025-5401-13

 

A Review on Fish Oil Extraction from Fish by-Product as Sustainable Practices and Resource Utilization in the Fish Processing Industry

(Tinjauan Mengenai Pengekstrakan Minyak Ikan daripada Produk Sampingan Ikan sebagai Amalan Mampan dan Penggunaan Sumber dalam Industri Pemprosesan Ikan)

 

Muhamad Nor Iqmal Bin Mamat¹, Hafeedza Abdul Rahman^1,2, Noorul Syuhada Mohd Razali^1,2, Sharifah Salmah Syed Hussain³, Khairul Farihan Kasim⁴ & Noor-Soffalina Sofian-Seng^1,2,*

 

¹Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
²Innovation Centre for Confectionery Technology (MANIS), Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Malaysia
³Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
⁴Faculty of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), 02600 Arau, Perlis, Malaysia

 

Received: 12 August 2024/Accepted: 2 September 2024

 

Abstract

The fish processing industry generates significant by-products, such as viscera, skin, bones, and heads, which are valuable for producing food, medicinal products, energy, and industrial feedstock. Fish oil, rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is widely used in nutritional supplements and other applications. Among these by-products, fish viscera contain the highest concentration of oil, making them an ideal target for extraction due to their cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits. Extracting oil from fish by-product helps reduce environmental pollution and promotes sustainable practices by fully utilizing fish resources. This holistic approach contributes to waste reduction and resource efficiency in the fish processing industry. By incorporating sustainable principles into extraction processes - such as using environmentally friendly solvents, implementing efficient solvent recovery systems, and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations - companies can enhance the sustainability of their operations while extracting valuable components. As demand for fish-based food products rises, effective extraction of fish oil and fishmeal from by-products becomes increasingly important. Various extraction methods, including physical, chemical, and biological approaches, are essential for separating solids, oil, and water to recover valuable components like EPA and DHA. Optimizing these processes and combining different methods can achieve high concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in fish oil, ranging from 65% to 80%. Emphasizing maximum PUFA content highlights the potential to enhance the quality and nutritional value of fish oil extracted from by-products while advancing sustainability in the fish processing industry.

 

Keywords: Circular economy; extraction; fish by-products; fish oil; viscera

 

Abstrak

Industri pemprosesan ikan menghasilkan banyak hasil sampingan seperti visera, kulit, tulang dan kepala yang bernilai untuk pengeluaran makanan, produk perubatan, tenaga dan bahan mentah industri. Minyak ikan, kaya dengan asid lemak tak tepu omega-3 seperti asid eicosapentaenoic (EPA) dan asid dokosaheksaenoik (DHA) banyak digunakan dalam makanan tambahan nutrisi dan aplikasi lain. Antara hasil sampingan ini, visera ikan mengandungi kepekatan minyak tertinggi, menjadikannya sasaran utama untuk pengekstrakan kerana kos yang berkesan dan manfaat persekitarannya. Pengekstrakan minyak daripada hasil sampingan ikan membantu mengurangkan pencemaran alam sekitar dan mempromosikan amalan mampan dengan memanfaatkan sepenuhnya sumber ikan. Pendekatan holistik ini menyumbang kepada pengurangan sisa dan kecekapan sumber dalam industri pemprosesan ikan. Dengan menggabungkan prinsip mampan dalam proses pengekstrakan seperti menggunakan pelarut mesra alam, melaksanakan sistem pemulihan pelarut yang cekap dan memastikan pematuhan terhadap peraturan alam sekitar, syarikat boleh meningkatkan kemampanan operasi mereka sambil mengekstrak komponen yang bernilai. Apabila permintaan terhadap produk makanan berasaskan ikan meningkat, pengekstrakan minyak ikan dan tepung ikan yang berkesan daripada hasil sampingan menjadi semakin penting. Pelbagai kaedah pengekstrakan, termasuk pendekatan fizikal, kimia dan biologi, adalah penting untuk memisahkan pepejal, minyak dan air bagi memulihkan komponen berharga seperti EPA dan DHA. Mengoptimumkan proses ini dan menggabungkan kaedah yang berbeza boleh mencapai kepekatan tinggi asid lemak tak tepu (PUFA) dalam minyak ikan, antara 65% hingga 80%. Menekankan kandungan PUFA maksimum menunjukkan potensi untuk meningkatkan kualiti dan nilai pemakanan minyak ikan yang diekstrak daripada hasil sampingan sambil memajukan kemampanan dalam industri pemprosesan ikan.

 

Kata kunci: Ekonomi membulat; minyak ikan; pengekstrakan; produk sampingan ikan; visera

 

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*Corresponding author; email: soffalina@ukm.edu.my