Fermentative production of fungal Chitosan, a versatile biopolymer (perspectives and its applications)

Worldwide every year approximately 140 million tonnes of synthetic polymers are produced. These polymers are stable and their degradation cycle in the biosphere is limited. This necessitates the need for natural biodegradable polymers which fit into the ecological cycle. Among these biopolymers, chitosan, a partially deacetylated form of biopolymer chitin has been receiving more attention due to its versatile nature. Commercial chitosan is obtained from crustacean shells such as crabs, lobsters and shrimps are loaded with many demerits and limited the potential industrial acceptance of chitosan. Mycelial wastes from fermentation processes as a source of fungal chitin and chitosan would offer a stable non-seasonable source of raw material and would be more consistent in character and of high quality. In this context, the present review discusses biopolymers, the merits and demerits of various sources of chitosan and its various biological activities.