~ 26 ~ International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies 2021; 9(3): 26-31 E-ISSN: 2347-5129 P-ISSN: 2394-0506 (ICV-Poland) Impact Value: 5.62 (GIF) Impact Factor: 0.549 IJFAS 2021; 9(3): 26-31 © 2021 IJFAS www.fisheriesjournal.com Received: 13-02-2021 Accepted: 17-03-2021 Mohajira Begum Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh Md. Zia Uddin Al Mamun Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh Dr. Md. Abdus Satter Miah Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh Corresponding Author: Mohajira Begum Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh Nutritional profiling of selected fish’s scales: An approach to determine its prospective use as a biomaterial Mohajira Begum, Md. Zia Uddin Al Mamun and Dr. Md. Abdus Satter Miah Abstract Fish scale, the chief waste materials generated during fish processing is however a promising and cost efficacious source of different important nutrients but unfortunately it has not received much attention. This consideration stresses to explore the proximate composition and minerals contents of fish scales from 12 different fish species collected from three different fish market in Dhaka city to evaluate their usage as potential bioactive compounds. The average carbohydrate, lipid, protein, moisture and ash contents were recorded within a range of 0.35± 0.24 to 2.18 ±0.68 %, 0.27±0.21 to 1.60± 0.08 %, 40.28 ±1.02 to 71.57± 0.64 %, 7.87± 0.57 to 20.53±0.48 % and 19.06± 0.6 to 39.55± 0.94 % respectively. The research reveals that all the twelve species of fish’s scales contained reasonable amount of micronutrients more notably calcium (3246.93±18.98 to 7930.42±60.02 mg/100g), iron (24.15±1.74 to 1360.60±10.43 mg/100g), magnesium (151.13 ±18.5 to 236.56 ±25.61 mg/100g) and phosphorous (230.40 ±5.11 to 2031. 09 ±25.01 mg/100 g). Keywords: Fish processing wastes, proximate composition, minerals, bio-plastic, multi-industrial application 1. Introduction Every year over 100 million tons of fish are being collected globally with 29.5% of a capture is used as fish feed due to its lack of functional properties [13] . Approximately 70-85 % of a capture becomes fishery processing waste and 30 % of these wastes are bones, fins, scales, skin which contain high levels of protein and minerals. Bangladesh is a small and developing country overloaded with almost unbearable pressure of human population. In the past, people of Bangladesh were mostly dependent upon land-based proteins. But, the continuous process of industrialization and urbanization consumes the limited land area. Now there is no other way than to harvest the vast under water protein from the inland water bodies, which can meet the country's demand. It is a country of river with its rich inland waters and river systems, has significant capture fishery and aquaculture expectation. However, the favorable geographic position of Bangladesh adds up a large number of aquatic species and provides abundant of resources to support fisheries potential. In Bangladesh, fish is by far the most commonly consumed animal-source food across all population groups with an average of 19.71 kg/person/year providing a rich source of micronutrients and accounting for 60% of animal protein intake. So, fish has become a popular complement to rice in the national diet, giving rise to the adage Maache-Bhate Bangali ("a Bengali is made of fish and rice") [10] . The fisheries sector plays a very vital role in the national economy, contributing 3.57% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country and 25.30% of the agricultural GDP and 1.5% of the foreign exchange earnings by exporting fish and fishery products [5] . Over the last 10 years (2004-2005 to 2013-2014 FY), the fisheries growth was fairly sturdy and at an average of 5.38% per year [8] . The dietary contribution of fish is more significant in terms of animal proteins, as a portion of 150 g of fish provides about 50–60 percent of the daily protein requirements for an adult. It has grown most substantially in East Asia (from 10.8 kg in 1961 to 39.2 kg in 2013), (from 13.1 to 33.6 kg) and North Africa (from 2.8 to 16.4 kg) [6] . Above statement indicate that this huge consumption creates a great amount of fish waste (Viscera, gill, fin, scale) which generally thrown away and not properly utilized in our country.