The application of biopolymer-based materials is increasing due to better sustainability and environmental protection properties. Gelatin fibers have a specific surface and high porosity, which is why their use in medicine and the food industry is being researched. This article explores the potential of centrifugal spinning to produce gelatin fibers. Gelatin for fiber preparation was obtained from a non-traditional source of collagen (chicken by-products) using a unique enzymatic process. The fiber quality was compared with those prepared from gelatins produced from traditional collagen tissues (porcine, bovine). The results showed that fibers cross-linked with glutaraldehyde vapor preserved their structure even in contact with water. Using a cross-linker controlled swelling ability and solubility while maintaining the fiber structure. On the contrary, uncross-linked gelatin fibers were water soluble due to a high surface-to-volume ratio, facilitating water penetration and dissolution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) provided a clearer picture of the morphology of gelatin fibers obtained by centrifugal spinning. Differences in the amount of bonding depending on the raw material used and the presence of a cross-linker were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The overall results showed that chicken gelatin is a suitable alternative to gelatins from traditional sources and can be used for preparing food and pharmaceutical packaging and coatings, fibers, or bioprinting of 3D matrices.

Department of Fat Surfactant and Cosmetics Technology Faculty of Technology Tomas Bata University in Zlín Vavrečkova 5669 760 01 Zlín Czech Republic

Department of Food Technology Faculty of Technology Tomas Bata University in Zlín Vavrečkova 5669 760 01 Zlín Czech Republic

Department of Nonwovens and Nanofibrous Materials Faculty of Textile Engineering Technical University of Liberec Studentská 2 461 17 Liberec Czech Republic

Department of Polymer Engineering Faculty of Technology Tomas Bata University in Zlín Vavrečkova 5669 760 01 Zlín Czech Republic

Department of Processing Control and Applied Computer Science Faculty of Applied Informatics Tomas Bata University in Zlín Nad Stráněmi 4511 760 05 Zlín Czech Republic

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