Use versatility of Chitin and Chitosan – A review

Converting the industrial wastes to different value-added products is gaining importance in recent years throughout the World. Chitin and Chitosan are the two such products derived from the shellfish processing wastes. Their unique chemical, biochemical and biological characteristics have found suitable for multiple use of these products in various industries like food processing and preservation, agriculture, industrial waste management, cosmetic, textile and paper, medicinal and pharmaceutical, food packaging, dairy and also in animal and fish nutrition. They are present in the exoskeleton or tough covering of Prawn, crab, lobster, shrimp, squid, crawfish and cell wall of certain algae. It was estimated that 100 billion tons of chitin and chitosan are produced annually by these animals and microorganism. In India also more 100,000 tons of crustacean shell processing wastes are produced from the different prawn processing centres, which are of very little use at present. The limited use of these products in our country is not due to the lack of technology but the lack of awareness among different processing and other industrial houses regarding the diversified utilities of these products. Therefore, there is an urgent need to make people aware of the potential applications of these products.