RT Journal Article T1 Optimal and sustainable production of tailored fish protein hydrolysates from tuna canning wastes and discarded blue whiting: Effect of protein molecular weight on chemical and bioactive properties A1 Vázquez Álvarez, José Antonio A1 Comesaña Fernández, Sara A1 Soengas Fernández, José Luis A1 Pérez Rodríguez, Montse A1 Bermúdez Pose, Roberto A1 Rotllant Moragas, Josep A1 Valcárcel Barros, Jesús K1 Fish protein hydrolysates K1 Blue whiting discards K1 Tuna by-products K1 Protein molecular weight K1 Mathematical modeling K1 Bioactives K1 Sustainability AB Thousands tons of discards of blue whiting (BW) and tuna heads (YT) by-products are generated each year in Europe. BW is the species most discarded by European fishing fleet and, in some canning factories, YT are processed for the retrieval of oil rich in omega-3, but producing a huge amount of solid remains and effluents disposal as wastes. The development of optimal and sustainable processes for both substrates is mandatory in order to reach clean solutions under the circular economy precepts. This work focused on the mathematical optimization of the production of tailored fish protein hydrolysates (FPH), from blue whiting and tuna residues, in terms of controlling average molecular weights (Mw) of proteins. For the modeling of the protein depolymerization time-course, a pseudo-mechanistic model was used, which combined a reaction mechanistic equation affected, in the kinetic parameters, by two non-lineal equations (a first-order kinetic and like-Weibull formulae). In all situations, experimental data were accurately simulated by that model achieving R2 values higher than 0.96. The validity of the experimental conditions obtained from modeling were confirmed performing productions of FPH at scale of 5 L-reactor, without pH-control in most of cases, at the different ranges of Mw selected (1–2 kDa, 2–5 kDa and 5–10 kDa). The results showed that FPH from BW with lower Mw led to a remarkable yield of production (12 % w/w of substrate), largest protein contents (77 % w/w of BW hydrolysate), greatest in vitro digestibility (>95 %), highest essential amino acid presence (43 %) and the best antioxidant (DPPH = 62 %) and antihypertensive (IC50-ACE = 80 mg/L) properties. Our results prove that the proposed procedure to produce sustainable FPH, with specific Mw characterisitics, could be extended to other fish waste substrates. Tailored FPH may have the potential to serve as valuable ingredients for functional foods and high-quality aquaculture feed PB Elsevier YR 2024 FD 2024-08-20 LK https://hdl.handle.net/10347/45448 UL https://hdl.handle.net/10347/45448 LA eng NO José Antonio Vázquez, Sara Comesaña, José Luis Soengas, Montse Pérez, Roberto Bermúdez, Josep Rotllant, Jesus Valcarcel, Optimal and sustainable production of tailored fish protein hydrolysates from tuna canning wastes and discarded blue whiting: Effect of protein molecular weight on chemical and bioactive properties, Science of The Total Environment, Volume 939, 2024, 173461, ISSN 0048-9697, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173461 NO This study evaluates the optimal and sustainable production of tailored fish protein hydrolysates obtained from tuna canning by-products and discarded blue whiting, focusing on the influence of protein molecular weight on their chemical composition and bioactive properties. By combining valorization of fishery wastes with controlled hydrolysis strategies, the work demonstrates how molecular weight distribution modulates functional and bioactive characteristics, supporting the development of high-value, sustainable ingredients for aquafeed and food applications NO The authors acknowledge the support of research grant from Galicia Marine Science programme, part of Complementary Science Plans for Marine Science of Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades included in the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR-C17.I1). Funded through Xunta de Galicia with NextGenerationEU and the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Funds. Researchers from IIM-CSIC also want to thank to the project LIFE-REFISH (Project 101074323, LIFE21-ENV-ES-LIFE REFISH) and to Xunta de Galicia (Grupos de Potencial Crecimiento, IN607B 2021/11) for financial support DS Minerva RD 28 abr 2026