Valorization of Chicken Feet By-Product of the Poultry Industry: High Qualities of Gelatin and Biofilm from Extraction of Collagen

In this research, products with high quality were obtained from natural sources. The sensorial qualities, chemical characterization, and physical properties of gelatin extracted from chicken feet were compared with commercial gelatins. The extraction process was performed using acetic acid on a concentration ranging from 0.318% to 3.682%, processing time between 1.0 h and 8.4 h and extraction temperature between 43.3 °C and 76.8 °C. After the end of each assay, the yield was measured. Results showed that, under the best conditions, the collagen extraction yield was above 8%, and comprised 78.525 g/100 g of protein. Collagen analyzed by ICP-MS was composed of 99.44% of macro-minerals that are of great importance to human health. ATR-FTIR analysis showed that approximately 70.90% of the total protein from chicken feet is collagen, whereas, in commercial gelatin, only 30.31% is collagen. When comparing chicken gelatin with commercial gelatin, most sensory attributes were similar and chicken gelatin gained acceptance by more than 80% of the consumers. Additionally, the collagen films obtained from chicken feet and swine showed water absorption, odors, and texture characteristics similar to commercial material, such as latex and celofane. Consequently, due to its similarity to human skin, it is possible to apply it as a biocurative.