Reutilization of Pelodiscus sinensis (Chinese Soft-Shelled Turtle) Visceral Waste for cosmeceutical Applications

Pelodiscus sinensis, commonly known as the Chinese soft-shelled turtle, possesses abundant collagen, proteins, and amino acids in its shell and muscle. Pelodiscus sinensis has been historically utilized as a valuable traditional Chinese medicine. While the Chinese consume the meat and shell of the turtle, the internal visceral organs are typically discarded. The visceral organs contain valuable components, including 8%-15% collagen and 8% blood. This study focused on extracting collagen from the internal visceral organs, while the remaining turtle parts were condensed into a refined product referred to as "Turtle refined," for cosmeceutical applications. We explored the acid solubilization (ASC) and pepsin solubilization (PSC) techniques to extract collagen. Preliminary findings indicate that the PSC method outperformed the ASC method in terms of collagen extraction. To characterize the collagen derived from the visceral organs and blood, SDS-PAGE, FTIR and DSC analyses were employed. Furthermore, we assessed the antioxidant property of the Turtle refined product, utilizing the DPPH radical scavenging activity test.