Industrial applications of crustacean by-products (chitin, chitosan, and chitooligosaccharides): A review

• Shellfish processing produces large quantities of by-products predominantly chitin.
• Untreated shellfish waste can lead to environmental hazard and can cause health problems.
• Chitin extraction from crustaceans' shells may be a solution to minimize the waste and to produce valuable compounds.
• Chitin and its derivatives possess numerous biological properties with various industrial applications.

BackgroundFood processing produces large quantities of by-products. Disposal of waste can lead to environmental and human health problems, yet often they can be turned into high value, useful products. For example, crustacean shell wastes from shrimp, crab, lobster, and krill contain large amounts of chitin, a polysaccharide that may be extracted after deproteinisation and demineralization of the exoskeletons.Scope and approachThis review summarizes the current state of knowledge of these crustacean shellfish wastes and the various ways to use chitin. This biopolymer and its derivatives, such as chitosan, have many biological activities (e.g., anti-cancer, antioxidant, and immune-enhancing) and can be used in various applications (e.g., medical, cosmetic, food, and textile).Key findings and conclusionsDue to the huge waste produced each year by the shellfish processing industry and the absence of waste management which represent an environmental hazard, the extraction of chitin from crustaceans’ shells may be a solution to minimize the waste and to produce valuable compound which possess biological properties with application in many fields. As a food waste, it is important to also be aware of the non-food uses of these wastes.