Optimization of Enzymatic Collagen Production from Atlantic Cod Waste

3F Waste Recovery是一家位于纽芬兰和拉布拉多的创新生物技术公司，与当地渔民、农民和林业人员携手合作，从他们的副产品中提取优质、可持续和天然的成分。传统上被丢弃的当地来源的鱼类和贝类的一部分可以被加工成高价值的成分，从维生素和补充剂到化妆品和药品。3F拥有许可的清洁技术流程，可将鳕鱼废物转化为高度纯化的胶原蛋白单体，全尺寸功能原型机械鱼堆肥机和鱼头剥皮机，使3F能够专注于从大西洋鳕鱼中提取海洋胶原蛋白和独特蛋白质制造的产品。该项目的主要目标是优化纽芬兰硬水条件下的酶提取。首先，研究小组将确定水硬度变化时胶原蛋白产量的差异。然后通过调整和测量不同的因素来优化酶的提取，使用实验设计软件来帮助管理优化过程。浸提过程完成后，将对混合物进行离心、过滤和冷冻干燥，以分析胶原蛋白含量和分子量范围。该工艺的优化将使3F继续增长，并为他们面向国内和国际市场的纯化胶原蛋白的规模化生产提供信息。在全球范围内，在健康和美容应用中使用天然产品的趋势继续增长。加拿大拥有丰富的自然资源，可以利用来满足这一需求，但致力于这一目标的私营公司往往没有优化其产品所需的必要加工和分析设备。该项目支持加拿大制造的具有高出口潜力的产品，并支持纽芬兰的经济发展。此外，该项目的成果将导致使用清洁技术成功地增加废物的价值，从而与联邦和省政府的目标保持一致。

3F Waste Recovery is a Newfoundland and Labrador-based innovative biotechnology company working hand-in-hand with local fishers, farmers and foresters to extract premium quality, sustainable and natural ingredients from their by-products. Parts of locally sourced fish and shellfish that are traditionally disposed of can be processed into high-value ingredients found in everything from vitamins and supplements to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. 3F has a licensed cleantech process for converting cod waste to highly purified collagen monomers, a full-scale functional prototype mechanical fish composter, and a fish head skinning machine that allow 3F to focus on products manufactured from the extraction of marine collagen and unique proteins from Atlantic Cod. The main objective of this project is to optimize the enzyme extraction specific to the hard water conditions in Newfoundland. First, the research team will identify the collagen yield difference when the water hardness is changed. Then the enzyme extraction would be optimized by adjusting and measuring different factors, using Design of Experiments software to help manage the optimization process. After the completion of the extraction processes, the mixture will be centrifuged, filtered, and freeze dried for the analysis of the collagen content and molecular weight range. Optimization of the process will allow 3F to continue to grow as well as inform their scaled-up production of purified collagen destined for domestic and international markets. Globally, the trend towards using natural products in health and beauty applications continues to grow. Canada has abundant natural resources that can be harnessed to fulfill this demand, but the private companies working towards this goal often do not have the necessary processing and analytical equipment needed to optimize their products. This project supports Canadian made products that have a high export potential and also supports economic development in Newfoundland. In addition, results of the project will lead to successfully adding value to waste using clean technology thereby aligning with the goals of federal and provincial governments.