P-09　Novel method of chitin purification and preparation of chitin nanofibers by using only water

Abstract

Chitin represents a resource for sustainable functional materials. However, traditional β-chitin production methods involve alkaline treatment at approximately 90°Ｃ for its separation from the protein, thus not suitable as a functional peptide, as it is mixed with an alkaline aqueous solution. This study examined the conversion of squid pen into solid β-chitin and water-soluble peptides using only water at temperatures of 150–250°Ｃ for 30–120min. Solid β-chitin was converted to its nanofiber form and the physicochemical properties of the β-chitin nanofibers were almost the same as those produced by the traditional method. promising environment-friendly technique for complete utilization of squid pen components, including β-chitin and protein.