Optimization of Chitin Extraction from Chicken Feet

Abstract

α-, β-, and γ- forms exist with different chitin microfibril orientations. The α-form has antiparallel chains and is the most abundant in nature. It occurs in the shells of crustaceans (crabs, shrimp, lobsters, etc.), in the shells and skeletons of mollusks and krill, insects, etc., and in the cell walls of fungi (mushrooms, bakers’ yeast, etc.). The β-form has parallel chains and is rare in the nature. It occurs in squid pens, in the extracellular spines of the euryhaline diatom, and in pogonophore tubes. The γ-form has a mixture of anti parallel and parallel chains and is found in the cocoons of insects [8]. Chitin is a natural biopolymer with a chemical structure similar to that of cellulose and is a major component of the exoskeleton of invertebrates. Therefore, crustacean waste is ideal as raw material for chitin production. The extracted chitin can be used to produce chitin derived products, such as chitosans, chito-oligosaccharides and glucosamine, but also for bioplastic production. The interest to use chitinous products in foods and pharmaceuticals is increasing due to their broad range of industrial applications [9,10].