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Fungal chitosan in focus: a comprehensive review on extraction methods and applications
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Researchers reviewed fungal-derived chitosan as a biodegradable plastic alternative for food packaging, highlighting advantages over marine-sourced chitosan — including lower mineral content, year-round supply, and reduced microplastic contamination risk — alongside advances in extraction techniques such as deep eutectic solvents and enzymatic processing.
Increasing awareness of the adverse effects of nonrenewable, petroleum-based synthetic plastics has driven the search for biodegradable alternatives, particularly in food packaging. Over the past 30 years, biopolymeric materials, such as chitosan, have attracted considerable attention owing to their reduced environmental impact. Chitosan, which is derived from the partial deacetylation of chitin, is valued for its abundance, non-toxicity, biodegradability, and antimicrobial properties, making it a promising candidate for the development of biocomposites. Although chitin is typically sourced from crustacean shells, fungal sources offer notable advantages, including lower mineral content and a continuous, high-quality supply without seasonal variations. Moreover, amid increasing evidence of microplastic-induced toxicity in aquatic organisms and mammals, the risk of contamination in marine-derived chitosan highlights the need for safer alternatives such as fungal sources. This review discusses the physicochemical properties of fungal chitosan and explores advanced extraction techniques such as deep eutectic solvents, microwave-assisted extraction, and enzymatic extraction. Additionally, the antimicrobial potential of fungal chitosan is thoroughly examined, underscoring its potential in food packaging, biomedical, and pharmaceutical applications. The effects of the degree of deacetylation, solubility, and molecular weight of chitosan on its physicochemical and biological properties are highlighted, facilitating its optimization for diverse applications.
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Chitosan with Natural Additives as a Potential Food Packaging
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Researchers reviewed the potential of chitosan, a natural polymer derived from chitin, as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic food packaging. Chitosan-based materials combined with natural additives show promising antimicrobial and biocompatible properties while being biodegradable. The study suggests these materials could help reduce plastic packaging waste and the associated microplastic pollution from food industry sources.
Biodegradability Studies of Chitosan-Based Packaging
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Scientists tested a plastic alternative made from chitosan (a natural material derived from shellfish shells) and found it breaks down effectively in compost, soil, and water, unlike conventional plastics that can linger for centuries and shed microplastics. This matters because switching to packaging like this could help reduce the plastic pollution that's increasingly found in our food, water, and even our bodies. More research is still needed to fine-tune the material before it's ready for widespread use.
Chitosan as a sustainable alternative for fresh food packaging: Structural insights, modification strategies, and innovations for commercial viability
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Researchers reviewed how chitosan — a natural biopolymer derived from crustacean shells — can serve as a biodegradable alternative to single-use plastic food packaging, detailing chemical modification strategies, nanocomposite reinforcement approaches, and recent advances in antimicrobial and antioxidant performance that improve its commercial viability.
A review of advancements in chitosan-essential oil composite films: Better and sustainable food preservation with biodegradable packaging
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This review covers how films made from chitosan (a natural material from shellfish) combined with essential oils are being developed as biodegradable food packaging to replace conventional plastics. By reducing reliance on plastic packaging, these alternatives could help decrease the amount of microplastics that migrate into food and are ultimately consumed by people.
Mass-Rearing of Insects on Food Waste to Produce Chitosan—A Bio-Based Plastic Alternative
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This review paper discusses raising insects on food waste to produce chitin, which can be converted into chitosan, a biodegradable material that could serve as an alternative to conventional plastics. It summarizes chitosan's properties, the global chitosan market and related challenges, without reporting new experiments.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.