Antimicrobial properties of chitosan and mode of action: A state of the art review

Chitosan based edible films and coatings: A review

Chitin, the second most important natural polymer in the world, and its N-deacetylated derivative chitosan, have been identified as versatile biopolymers for a broad range of applications in medicine, agriculture and the food industry. Two of the main reasons for this are firstly the unique chemical, physicochemical and biological properties of chitin and chitosan, and secondly the unlimited supply of raw materials for their production. These polymers exhibit widely differing physicochemical properties depending on the chitin source and the conditions of chitosan production. The presence of reactive functional groups as well as the polysaccharide nature of these biopolymers enables them to undergo diverse chemical modifications. A complete chemical and physicochemical characterization of chitin, chitosan and their derivatives is not possible without using spectroscopic techniques. This review focuses on the application of spectroscopic methods for the structural analysis of these compounds.

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Application of Spectroscopic Methods for Structural Analysis of Chitin and Chitosan

Background Food processing produces large quantities of by-products. Disposal of waste can lead to environmental and human health problems, yet often they can be turned into high value, useful products. For example, crustacean shell wastes from shrimp, crab, lobster, and krill contain large amounts of chitin, a polysaccharide that may be extracted after deproteinisation and demineralization of the exoskeletons. Scope and approach This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of these crustacean shellfish wastes and the various ways to use chitin. This biopolymer and its derivatives, such as chitosan, have many biological activities (e.g., anti-cancer, antioxidant, and immune-enhancing) and can be used in various applications (e.g., medical, cosmetic, food, and textile). Key findings and conclusions Due to the huge waste produced each year by the shellfish processing industry and the absence of waste management which represent an environmental hazard, the extraction of chitin from crustaceans’ shells may be a solution to minimize the waste and to produce valuable compound which possess biological properties with application in many fields. As a food waste, it is important to also be aware of the non-food uses of these wastes.

Industrial applications of crustacean by-products (chitin, chitosan, and chitooligosaccharides): A review

Current views on fungal chitin/chitosan, human chitinases, food preservation, glucans, pectins and inulin: A tribute to Henri Braconnot, precursor of the carbohydrate polymers science, on the chitin bicentennial

Extraction and characterization of chitin and chitosan from local sources.

Surface modification of polypropylene films by chitosan and chitosan/pectin multilayer

The climacteric nature of ‘Barhi’ dates makes their shelf life very short after harvest. This research aimed to explore the impact of using different packaging materials along with reducing the negative effects of ethylene gas on the quality of ‘Barhi’ date fruit by determining the changes in physical and chemical characteristics of stored fruit. For this purpose, ‘Barhi’ date fruits were picked during the Khalal stage and stored using three different packaging materials [carton boxes (control), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and equilibrium modified atmosphere packaging (EMAP)] with or without ethylene absorbent sachet (EAS) at 0 °C for 40 days. The results indicated that the EMAP bags with EAS under 0 °C gave the highest quality properties of all studied parameters compared to the control treatment. The control treatment recorded the lowest date fruit quality, which lasted only for 20 days of cold storage before converting to the Rutab stage. Using LDPE with EAS instead of the more expensive EMAP bags could be a cheaper way to keep the quality of ‘Barhi’ date fruit and make it last longer during cold storage.phoenix dactylifera

Khaled S.A. Nagy

Papers

Extraction and characterization of chitin and chitosan from local sources.

Surface modification of polypropylene films by chitosan and chitosan/pectin multilayer

Impacts of smart and active packaging on the quality and storage period of ‘Barhi’ dates