Abstract
Fish industry by-products can account for up to 75% of the catch depending on postharvest or industrial preparation processes. Different terms such as ‘fish waste’, ‘by-product’ and ‘rest raw materials’ have been used. The review gives an overview of value-added processes that provide an alternative to low-profit uses such as silage, fish meal and mince. The preparation of different by-product fractions such as fish blood, marine lipids, omega-3 fatty acids, fish protein fractions and bioactive components with nutraceutical potential, i.e. antioxidants and bioactive peptides, is considered. There are several future opportunities for the preparation of high-value by-products such as enzymes, minerals and other bioactive substances including hydroxyapatite, phosphorus, taurine and creatine. Both regulatory status and future market potential need to be considered. In addition, there is a need for technologies that maintain good quality by-products and ‘simple’ processes to produce bulk products for further refining.