A staff member of Zhoushan Customs examines the tuna collagen produced by Pingtairong Biotechnology Co Ltd. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

Pingtairong Biotechnology Co Ltd, which is based in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, recently received approval from the EU to export its tuna collagen, local media reported on March 28.

Pingtairong specializes in the research and development, production, and marketing of bioproteins. Tuna collagen, one of their bioproteins, is made from the skin, bones, and scales of tuna, and is widely used in the fields of food, medicine, and makeup.

According to Ni Jianbo, president of Pingtairong Ocean Fishery Group, the parent company of Pingtairong Biotechnology Co Ltd, the value of these fish parts has been multiplied tens of times after being processed into collagen.

Ni added that Pingtairong Biotechnology is expected to produce another 300 metric tons of tuna collagen and that its export value would exceed 19 million yuan ($3 million) this year.