135
8 Applications, Uses and By-products from Cephalopods
et al. 2008). Chitin in cuttlebone and pen is in the β-conformation. The β-chitin is
more easily solubilized and more reactive than the α-chitin (Cortizo et al. 2008). Muzzarelli and Muzzarelli (2005) describe many chitin and chitosan derivatives of major
importance (complexes with hyaluronic acid, chitin ethers and esters, oxychitin, etc.)
and in various forms (nanoparticles, hydrogels, films, etc.). Chitosan can be produced
by chemical methods or by hydrolysis. Chitosanase hydrolysis is becoming the preferential method over chemical processes. Chitosanase hydrolysis has many advantages,
in terms of the environment, cost and reproducibility (Wang et al. 2009a). Recent
studies concern the optimization of bacterial culture conditions for protease and chitosanase productivity by using a sole carbon/nitrogen source from squid pen powder
and deproteinisation of squid pen for β-chitin (Wang et al. 2009a, b). The process developed by these authors is a less expensive way to produce chitosanase, with the aim
of obtaining a high value-added product, such as chitosan oligosaccharides, with high
potential in the production of functional foods. Revathi et al. (2012) developed a process to produce and characterize chitin from Vibrio species and a combination of waste
from two species, head waste of shrimp and cuttlebone chitin. Chitin and its derivatives, mainly chitosan, have attracted the interest of many researchers and industries
in the past 30 years owing to its physical–chemical properties. Recently, Barwin et al.
(2011) determined the physicochemical characterization of biopolymers chitin and
chitosan, extracted from Doryteuthis sibogae squid pen. Moreover, the same authors
(Barwin et al. 2012) characterized chitosan and sulphated chitosan from cuttlebone.
The obtained yield is 21 % of chitin and 49.71 % of chitosan. These authors suggested
that sulphated chitosan contribute significantly towards the observed antioxidant effect of cuttlefish food products. These polymers also display antimicrobial activity,
biocompatibility, biodegradability and they also interact strongly with pesticides and
metal ions in aqueous solutions (Lavall et al. 2007; Al-Sagheer et al. 2009). Thus, they
display a wide range of applications in different fields such as cosmetic manufacture,
medicine, agriculture, food production, pharmacy, biomedicine, the paper industry
and also as absorbent materials for wastewater treatment for the uptake of metal ions
from polluted water as well as for analytical applications (Lavall et al. 2007; Al-Sagheer et al. 2009). Moreover, chitosan can be used to modify the surface of nonwoven
fabrics and polypropylene films to improve antimicrobial properties (Al-Sagheer et al.
2009). Composite films based on gelatine and chitosan have a potential application
as preservatives in fish products (Gómez-Estaca et al. 2009). Uriarte-Montoya et al.
(2010) detected a positive plastizer effect of squid collagen over a chitosan film. The
blending of acid-soluble collagen from jumbo squid mantle and commercial chitosan
gives the possibility of producing new material with food or biomedical applications.
Various functions of chitin, such as moisture retention, adsorption and physiological activity, have been discovered and studies on the application of chitin have been
performed in the textile, medicine and food fields (Yamashita et al. 2003). Chitin can
suppress protein denaturation and increase the amount of unfrozen water in cells. The
results revealed that, with a concentration of more than 5.0 % chitin hydrolysate, the
freeze denaturation of myofibrillar protein was completely suppressed and the unfrozen water content of myofibrillar protein increased (Yamashita et al. 2003). Figueiredo
et al. (2005) assayed natural waste materials containing chitin as adsorbents for textile
8 Applications, Uses and By-products from Cephalopods
et al. 2008). Chitin in cuttlebone and pen is in the β-conformation. The β-chitin is
more easily solubilized and more reactive than the α-chitin (Cortizo et al. 2008). Muzzarelli and Muzzarelli (2005) describe many chitin and chitosan derivatives of major
importance (complexes with hyaluronic acid, chitin ethers and esters, oxychitin, etc.)
and in various forms (nanoparticles, hydrogels, films, etc.). Chitosan can be produced
by chemical methods or by hydrolysis. Chitosanase hydrolysis is becoming the preferential method over chemical processes. Chitosanase hydrolysis has many advantages,
in terms of the environment, cost and reproducibility (Wang et al. 2009a). Recent
studies concern the optimization of bacterial culture conditions for protease and chitosanase productivity by using a sole carbon/nitrogen source from squid pen powder
and deproteinisation of squid pen for β-chitin (Wang et al. 2009a, b). The process developed by these authors is a less expensive way to produce chitosanase, with the aim
of obtaining a high value-added product, such as chitosan oligosaccharides, with high
potential in the production of functional foods. Revathi et al. (2012) developed a process to produce and characterize chitin from Vibrio species and a combination of waste
from two species, head waste of shrimp and cuttlebone chitin. Chitin and its derivatives, mainly chitosan, have attracted the interest of many researchers and industries
in the past 30 years owing to its physical–chemical properties. Recently, Barwin et al.
(2011) determined the physicochemical characterization of biopolymers chitin and
chitosan, extracted from Doryteuthis sibogae squid pen. Moreover, the same authors
(Barwin et al. 2012) characterized chitosan and sulphated chitosan from cuttlebone.
The obtained yield is 21 % of chitin and 49.71 % of chitosan. These authors suggested
that sulphated chitosan contribute significantly towards the observed antioxidant effect of cuttlefish food products. These polymers also display antimicrobial activity,
biocompatibility, biodegradability and they also interact strongly with pesticides and
metal ions in aqueous solutions (Lavall et al. 2007; Al-Sagheer et al. 2009). Thus, they
display a wide range of applications in different fields such as cosmetic manufacture,
medicine, agriculture, food production, pharmacy, biomedicine, the paper industry
and also as absorbent materials for wastewater treatment for the uptake of metal ions
from polluted water as well as for analytical applications (Lavall et al. 2007; Al-Sagheer et al. 2009). Moreover, chitosan can be used to modify the surface of nonwoven
fabrics and polypropylene films to improve antimicrobial properties (Al-Sagheer et al.
2009). Composite films based on gelatine and chitosan have a potential application
as preservatives in fish products (Gómez-Estaca et al. 2009). Uriarte-Montoya et al.
(2010) detected a positive plastizer effect of squid collagen over a chitosan film. The
blending of acid-soluble collagen from jumbo squid mantle and commercial chitosan
gives the possibility of producing new material with food or biomedical applications.
Various functions of chitin, such as moisture retention, adsorption and physiological activity, have been discovered and studies on the application of chitin have been
performed in the textile, medicine and food fields (Yamashita et al. 2003). Chitin can
suppress protein denaturation and increase the amount of unfrozen water in cells. The
results revealed that, with a concentration of more than 5.0 % chitin hydrolysate, the
freeze denaturation of myofibrillar protein was completely suppressed and the unfrozen water content of myofibrillar protein increased (Yamashita et al. 2003). Figueiredo
et al. (2005) assayed natural waste materials containing chitin as adsorbents for textile