Comparison of silver carp fin gelatins extracted by three types of methods: Molecular characteristics, structure, function, and pickering emulsion stabilization

•Silver carp fin gelatins extracted by three types of methods were compared.•Molecular characteristics of fin gelatin is the key for its functions.•Fin gelatins had wide gel strength range and excellent water-holding capacities.•Fish oil-loaded fin gelatin-stabilized Pickering emulsion had good stability.•Excessive gelatin increased droplet size but decreased CI values of emulsions. High value-added utilization of different aquatic by-products is an increasingly urgent issue in aquatic science and industry. In this work, the effects of extraction methods on the molecular characteristics, structural properties, functional properties, and Pickering emulsion stabilization behaviors of silver carp fin gelatins were comprehensively studied. All the results showed molecular characteristics of silver carp fin gelatin was the key parameter to determine their functional properties such as wide gel strength range, excellent water-holding capacity, and excellent Pickering emulsion stabilization ability. The Pickering emulsion stabilization mechanisms of fin gelatins involved an “extraction method – protein molecular characteristics – fat-binding capacity – droplet structure – water phase properties – Pickering emulsion stability” route. This work could be helpful to understand the basic information on how the molecular characteristics determine the functions of gelatins. It would be also useful for the high value-added utilization of aquatic by-products and gelatins.