Growing needs, inadequate supply along with health and religious issues are reasons for the increase in the demand for an alternative source of gelatine in the food and pharmaceutical industries. This study was conducted to optimize the process for producing halal-compliance gelatine from chicken waste; chicken shank and toes (CST). Double extraction process employed produced gelatine which was vitreous, lightweight and gossamer in appearance. Gelatine yield was 9.52%(w/w) with a pH of 3.85, moisture content of 7.17%, total protein content of 93.77%, total fat content of 0.93% and total ash of 1.57%. The Bloom strength of the CST gelatine (148.33 ± 5.51) was found to be slightly lower than the commercially available bovine gelatine (BS) (169.33 ± 58.53) (P > 0.05). Amino acid analysis showed that the CST gelatine (91.38 ± 1.01%) was comparable to BS gelatine (90.65 ± 1.56%)(P > 0.05). Double extraction has been shown to successfully increase the surface area to volume ratio of CST waste resulting in increased yield in gelatine and protein with lower total fat content obtained. The test results obtained showed that the CST gelatine produced through this method complies with pharmaceutical standards.
Gelatine is used as an excipient for various pharmaceutical dosage forms, such as capsule shells (both hard and soft),
tablets, suspensions, emulsions and injections (e.g. plasma expanders). It is also broadly used in various industries
such as food and cosmetics. Gelatine is a biopolymer obtained from discarded or unused materials of bovine, porcine,
ovine, poultry and marine industrial farms. The discarded materials can be the skin, tendons, cartilages, bones and
connective tissues. Gelatine sourced from animals is relatively easy and inexpensive to produce. The potential needs of
gelatine cannot be overemphasised. Rising demands, health concerns and religious issues have heightened the need for
alternative sources of gelatine. This review presents the various industrial uses of gelatine and the latest developments
in producing gelatine from various sources.