Tuesday February 10, 2026
Phys —
Using the skin of an Amazonian fish known as tambatinga as the raw material, researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) and EMBRAPA Pecuária Sudeste—a decentralized unit of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) located in São Carlos, São Paulo state—have developed a biofilm that can be used in food packaging.
A sustainable source of biopolymer collagen
The tambatinga, the result of crossbreeding the female tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) and the male pirapitinga (Piaractus brachypomus), is recognized for its excellent growth performance and as a valuable, sustainable source of collagen-rich material. Due to its tropical origin, the skin of this species may contain higher levels of amino acids, which can enhance the functional and structural properties of the gelatin derived from it.