Tag: Scales

While edible and nutritious salmon skin is a delicacy for many, the scaly part of salmon is typically and intentionally removed by home cooks and professional chefs alike. This practice is less about safety and more about avoiding the hard, unappetizing texture that scales present when cooked.

According to food experts, fish scales, including those from salmon, are technically safe to consume when thoroughly cooked. However, most diners actively choose not to eat them due to an unpalatable and unpleasant texture.

Approximately 99% of all flatfish, including Dover sole, are born with eyes on opposite sides of their head and swim upright, only to undergo a rapid metamorphosis during which one eye migrates to the other side. This remarkable species of flatfish does indeed possess both fins and scales, a fact important for both marine biology and dietary considerations.

Beta keratin, a protein with a rigid beta-pleated sheet structure, is found exclusively in reptiles and birds among vertebrates, setting it apart from the more common alpha-keratin found in mammals. This durable protein plays a crucial role in forming protective epidermal appendages in these animal groups. Its unique composition and structure make it less extensible and more resistant than alpha-keratin.