Brazilian scientists turn fish skin waste into biodegradable food packaging film

BRAZIL – Researchers in Brazil have developed a biodegradable food packaging film derived from the skin of the Amazonian tambatinga fish, advancing efforts to commercialize aquaculture by-products as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics.

The biofilm, created by scientists at the University of São Paulo (USP) and EMBRAPA Pecuária Sudeste in São Carlos, was published in the journal Foods.

Supported by the São Paulo Research Foundation’s Food Research Center (FAPESP–FoRC), the project targets the mounting environmental burden associated with synthetic packaging waste.

Using collagen-rich fish skin, typically discarded during filleting, the research team extracted gelatin to produce a transparent, flexible biopolymer film capable of partially replacing conventional plastics in food applications.

Tambatinga, a fast-growing hybrid of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) and pirapitinga (Piaractus brachypomus), was selected due to its high amino acid content and superior gelatin functionality, which enhance film strength and structural integrity.

“We’ve been working for over 25 years on the development of films based on biopolymers, such as proteins and polysaccharides, with the aim of applying this material to food packaging and reducing the environmental impact, since there are many problems associated with the accumulation of synthetic packaging in nature,” said Paulo José do Amaral Sobral, professor in the Department of Food Engineering at USP’s Pirassununga campus.

The production process involved cleaning the skins, extracting gelatin with hot water and acetic acid, and forming films using two grams of gelatin per 100 grams of solution.

Laboratory testing showed the resulting biofilm exhibited strong mechanical resistance, good transparency, flexibility, enhanced ultraviolet light blocking and lower water vapour permeability compared with other gelatin-based films reported in scientific literature.

Despite the performance gains, moisture sensitivity remains a limiting factor. “For that reason, for now, they can only be used in dehydrated products, such as nuts and chestnuts,” Sobral noted.

The innovation aligns with broader global efforts to valorize food-processing waste streams into high-value packaging materials.

Companies and research institutes worldwide are exploring fish scales, crustacean shells and agricultural residues to develop compostable films and coatings, while major packaging players continue investing in paper-based barriers and bio-based polymers to meet tightening sustainability regulations.

Brazil, one of the world’s leading aquaculture producers, generates significant volumes of fish-processing by-products, presenting an opportunity to integrate circular economy principles into the sector.

The USP–EMBRAPA team plans to refine the material to improve moisture resistance and expand its use in food, pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, potentially opening new revenue streams for fish processors while reducing plastic dependency.

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