If you thought that tilapia was just the fish fillet for your dinner, you’re wrong. Fish is versatile and there is a lot of innovation with tilapia.
Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is currently the most cultivated species in Brazilian aquaculture. Fillet is the main commercialized product of the species. The downside is that about half of the fish becomes waste and almost 10% is dumped directly into rivers, creating a serious environmental impact. On the other hand, there is a lot to be done in innovation with tilapia:
Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Fortunately, there are news for the full use of fish:
Tilapia leather
Yet another female innovation, Marielle Philip opened her factory on an old oyster farm in France to process fish leather, including tilapia. She and her mother carry out the entire process of transforming fish skin into leather without using synthetic products and without waste with formulas they created themselves using weeds in the region. The scales they donate to jewelry designers and art schools
Tilapia leather processing workplace
In 3 weeks, the final product is obtained. From there they create bags, belts, shoes and even dresses. Marielle has bigger plans, she hopes to see eco-leather incorporated into the boating industry primarily for boat linings and luxury yacht interiors.
Tilapia leather
Tilapia skin in the treatment of human skin burns
Scientists from the Federal University of Ceará are using tilapia skin in an innovative treatment for second- and third-degree skin burns (the most serious, where there is loss of epithelial tissue) as a bandage.
They studied fish tissues and found that tilapia has a greater amount of collagen types 1 and 3, proteins that are important in the healing of burns. The technique has proven to be less painful than current procedures, can speed healing by several days, and reduces the need for painkillers.
Before application, the skin is subjected to a cleansing and radiation treatment. The fabric has a shelf life of 2 years and is odorless. The method is slowly expanding to other hospitals in the country.
Tilapia ice cream
Despite the product’s raw material, the creator, Professor Dana Vera Cruz, guarantees that the ice cream does not have the smell or taste of fish. Filipino innovation developed at Central Luzon State University won the 2016 Innovation Gold Award for flavor innovation at the French Agro-Food Exhibition (SIAL).
The line includes Original (with tilapia, nuts and cheese), Praline (with tilapia flakes), popsicles and ice cream sandwiches. All made with the fish, condensed milk and cream.
Complete line of tilapia ice cream
When eating a tilapia fillet, remember that the fish can offer you much more than that!
PS: Article originally written on 03/06/2017 and published here on 29/09/2022.
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