Comparison of Lactic Acid Bacteria Fermentation with Acid Treatments for Chitosan Production from Shrimp Waste

The traditional procedure for chitosan production involves use of a strong acid (HCl) for demineralization of chitin. This study reports application of a mixed culture of lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus lactis) fermentation in demineralization of chitin for chitosan production from shrimp waste. Chitosan produced from shrimp waste with lactic acid bacteria fermentation at 30°C for 72 h or 1 M lactic acid treatment at room temperature for 2 h followed by alkaline treatments (0.5 M NaOH at 25°C for 4 h followed by 12.5 M NaOH at 70°C for 10 h) contained very low protein (0.8–1.1%) and ash (<0.01%) contents with the same solubility (100%) as those of chitosan produced with hydrochloric acid treatment. Lactic acid bacteria fermentation and lactic acid treatment may be utilized in chitosan production from shrimp waste to reduce use of strong chemicals.