Chemical-enzymatic extraction of chitin and chitosan from white shrimp waste (Litopeneus vannamei).

Chitin is a biopolymer found in the exoskeleton of arthropods, insects, and fungi. One of its derivatives is chitosan, which arises by partially deacetylation of chitin. The main source of these polysaccharides is shrimp waste that, through chemical processes, is demineralized, deproteinized, and deacetylated. One strategy to reduce the use of chemical agents is to use enzymatic processes. An ideal proteolytic enzyme for the deproteination process of these residues is bromelain, a glycoprotein from the group of cysteine proteases, found in pineapple pulp. This study aimed to compare two extraction processes of chitin (Qn) and chitosan (Qs), changing the chemical deproteination stage for enzymatic deproteination (bromelain). The first process was chemical (EQ) and the second was chemical-enzymatic (EQE). Protein content (QN-EQ:9.02%, QS-EQ: 2.20%, QN-EQE: 8.23% QS-EQE: 6.81%), dry matter (9.12%), ash (0.56%), lipids (0.53%) and acetylation degree (QN-EQ: 73.77, QS-EQ: 20.11, QN-EQE: 75.12, QS-EQE: 11.23) chitin and chitosan are obtained with both processes, however the EQE process may represent an innocuous treatment for the production both polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]