Microbial enzymes from fish processing discards

This chapter deals with discards produced from fish and shellfish harvesting and processing, their composition, and use as substrates for microbial enzyme production. Fish and shellfish harvesting and processing discards come in two forms; the by-catch being fish species with undesirable characteristics and of little or no commercial value, and the inedible waste generated from the various processing operations. Nonetheless, these discards are rich in nutrients and various other useful components that may be recovered and put to profitable use. One such use is as source material for the nutrients and energy that are needed to sustain the growth and proliferation of microorganisms for commercial enzymes production. Various microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, and yeasts, have been grown in submerged and semi-submerged systems to produce a wide range of microbial enzymes including various hydrolases, oxidoreductases, and transferases, etc. Once produced, microbial enzymes can be put to similar uses as their counterparts derived from plant and animal.