Inventory and Extraction of Taurine from Deep Sea Fishes: Escolar (Lepidocybium flavobrunneum) and Lobster

Abstract

Today the utilization of deep sea fishes for consumption as food supplements and pharmaceuticals is being developed. Escolar (Lepidocybium flavobrunneum) and deep sea lobster, originating from South Sea of Java- Indonesia can be used for product development as a source of taurine. The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of escolar and lobster as raw materials and to determine the best extraction treatment to produce crude taurine powder. Analysis of taurine level in fresh samples indicated that taurine level of escolar flesh was higher than the lobster. Escolar and lobster had yield of flesh at 59.81 and 20.47%. The yield of escolar and lobster viscera were 11.41 and 4.62%, respectively. Protein level which was calculated as the sum of free nitrogen in escolar was higher than the lobster. Highest amino acid content in escolar flesh was glutamic acid (2.04%) for non-essential amino acid and lysine (1.21%) for essential amino acid. Highest taurine level in escolar crude taurine powder produced from the extraction treatment at 30°C for 60 min with taurine levels of 83.71 mg/100 g.