Chitosan applications for the food industry

Abstract

The development of active biomolecules such as chitosan and its derivatives for their use in food applications in recent years has progressed significantly and rapidly. Chitosan is produced by the deacetylation of chitin, the second most abundant polymer in nature next to cellulose. Chitosan is a unique cationic polysaccharide with many functional and bioactive properties such as antioxidant, lipid-lowering and antimicrobial activities, film-forming and gelling properties, encapsulation potential, etc., which are described in this chapter. The chapter also focuses on advances in the development of chitosan and its derivatives in the last five years as regards their use in novel applications related to food science and technology. Nutritional aspects are also discussed.