<![CDATA[Fat waste from pangasius (Pangasius hypophthalmus) filleting is a by-product of the fishery industry with a relatively high triglyceride content, making it a potential feedstock for crude methyl ester (CME) production. One of the factors affecting the success of transesterification is the concentration of the sodium hydroxide (NaOH) catalyst. This study aimed to analyse the effect of varying NaOH concentrations on the yield and characteristics of CME produced from pangasius fillet waste fat. The research was carried out using the transesterification method with NaOH catalyst concentrations of 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, and 3% (w/w). The observed parameters were yield, free fatty acid (FFA) content, impurities, and moisture. The results showed that increasing the NaOH concentration up to 2% raised the CME yield from 21% to 35% and lowered the FFA content from 1.45% to 0.59%, impurities from 1.81% to 0.68%, and moisture from 3.10% to 1.95%. However, increasing the NaOH concentration to 2.5% and 3% reduced the yield to 26% and 18%, accompanied by higher FFA, impurities, and moisture caused by saponification, which hindered product separation. Based on these results, a NaOH concentration of 2% is the optimum condition for producing crude methyl ester with the highest yield and the best quality characteristics from pangasius fillet waste fat.]]>
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