| Chitin is the second most abundant natural biopolymer after cellulose and is distributed in the shells of crustacea and cuticle of insects and also in the cell wall of some fungi. Chitosan is the deacetylated product of chitin. Chitosan has been used in a number of fields such as agriculture, the food industry and medicine. Both chitin and chitosan are recognized as excellent metal ligands, forming stable complexes with many metal ions. In particular, chitosan is considered one of the best natural chelators for transition metal ions and an effective protein coagulating agent.; The processing discards of shellfish pose major technological problems, mainly due to their insolubility in water and resistance to biodegradation. Direct use of crab processing discards is generally discouraged due to the obnoxious odour of putrefying shells, therefore, value-added utilization of their discards is of paramount importance.; In the treatment of crab processing discards to extend their usable shelf-life, five different chemical treatments were used. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
