ABSTRACT
Chitin is a copolymer of N-acetyl-d-glucosamine and d-glucosamine units linked with β-(1-4) glycosidic bond, where N-acetyl-d-glucosamine units are predominant in the polymeric chain. The deacetylated form of chitin refers to chitosan. Chitin and chitosan can be found as supporting materials in many aquatic organisms, terrestrial organisms, and some microorganisms (Tokura and Tamura 2007). Nowadays, commercially, chitins and chitosans are produced from biowastes obtained from aquatic organisms. The production of chitin and chitosan from biowastes of aquatic organisms in industrial scale appear in inconsistent physicochemical characteristics of products because of seasonal and variable supply of raw materials as well as variability and difculties of process conditions (Crestini et al. 1996, Nwe and Stevens 2008). To overcome these problems, terrestrial organisms like insects, terrestrial crustaceans, and mushrooms are considered as alternative sources for the production of chitin and chitosan.
