Application of Chitin-chitosan from Marine By-products in Thailand

Thailand is one of the major producers and exporters of shrimp and other marine products worldwide. Over 600,000 metric tons of marine products containing chitinous materials, shrimp, crab and squid, are produced yearly, which resulted in abundant amount of raw materials for the production of chitin-chitosan. Chitin-chitosan industry in Thailand has grown considerably in the past decade. However, from 2004-2007, the number of companies producing and applying chitin-chitosan has slowly declined due to low local consumption and limited market of chitin-chitosan. This was caused mainly by the lack of intensive research and proper product development. The local consumption then increased dramatically in these last few years. There are over 20 companies nationwide, producing chitin-chitosan and chitinchitosan related products mainly for agricultural applications. The application of chitinchitosan for increasing resistance and production of crops has been the major contributors for this significant increase in the local consumption. Chitin-chitosan has been used as foliage spray to induce disease resistance and increase quality and production of orchid, and other ornamental plants. It was applied in crops such as rice, palm, corn, cassava and many tropical fruits with success. It has also been incorporated into animal feed for fish and shrimps as well as poultry, cattle and porcine. However, careful and extensive studies must be performed to establish the proper usage of chitin-chitosan and its related product. The use of chitin-chitosan can elicit proper response when the proper molecular form, chain length and percent degree of deacetylation, and program are applied. Chitin-chitosan can also be applied and use in many other applications such as textile, cosmetics, medicine, composites and nanomaterials, and food and neutriceutical products. Food and neutriceutical has been one of the major applications of chitin-chitosan, since it is the major source of amino sugar, N-acetyl-Dglucosamine and D-glucosamine. To further promote the development of chitin-chitosan industry, research activities on the applications of chitinchitosan and marketing of chitin-chitosan related products are crucial.