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Peer-reviewedCC BYApplied Sciences

Chitosan-Based Technologies in the Food Industry: Functional Properties, Advanced Applications, and Future Perspectives

  • Ioana Cristina Crivei1
  • Roxana Nicoleta Rațu1
  • Ionuţ Dumitru Veleşcu1
  • Florin Daniel Lipșa1
  • Florina Stoica2
  • Andreea Bianca Balint1
  • Ionuţ Pavel3
  • Luciana Alexandra Crivei3
  1. 1Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, “Ion Ionescu de La Brad” Iasi University of Life Sciences, 3 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700490 Iasi, Romania
  2. 2Department of Pedotechnics, Faculty of Agriculture, “Ion Ionescu de La Brad” Iasi University of Life Sciences, 3 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700489 Iasi, Romania
  3. 3Department of Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, “Ion Ionescu de La Brad” Iasi University of Life Sciences, 3 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700490 Iasi, Romania
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Abstract

Chitosan, produced through deacetylation of chitin from crustacean byproducts and, increasingly, fungal biomass and insects, is attracting food-sector interest because it combines antimicrobial activity, antioxidant capacity, biodegradability, and film-forming behavior in a single polymer. This review discusses how source, molecular weight (MW), degree of deacetylation, solubility, and charge density shape its performance in food systems. The paper then follows the main technological routes now tested or used: edible films and coatings, hydrogels, cryogels, nanoparticles, microcapsules, and hybrid matrices. These formats can protect fresh produce, meat, poultry, fish, seafood, and dairy foods, while also supporting beverage clarification, emulsion control, release of natural antimicrobials or antioxidants, and freshness monitoring in active or intelligent packaging. The evidence indicates strong promise, especially where microbial growth, lipid oxidation, moisture transfer, and short shelf life remain limiting factors. Yet, wider industrial use is still slowed by water sensitivity, sensory effects, raw-material variation, cost, process scale-up, and regulatory alignment. Future work should move beyond laboratory efficacy and address reproducible production, food-specific validation, and consumer acceptance.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{crivei2026chitosanbased,
  title = {{Chitosan-Based Technologies in the Food Industry: Functional Properties, Advanced Applications, and Future Perspectives}},
  author = {Ioana Cristina Crivei and Roxana Nicoleta Rațu and Ionuţ Dumitru Veleşcu and Florin Daniel Lipșa and Florina Stoica and Andreea Bianca Balint and Ionuţ Pavel and Luciana Alexandra Crivei},
  journal = {Applied Sciences},
  year = {2026},
  month = jun,
  doi = {10.3390/app16126197},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/app16126197},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Chitosan-Based Technologies in the Food Industry: Functional Properties, Advanced Applications, and Future Perspectives
AU  - Ioana Cristina Crivei
AU  - Roxana Nicoleta Rațu
AU  - Ionuţ Dumitru Veleşcu
AU  - Florin Daniel Lipșa
AU  - Florina Stoica
AU  - Andreea Bianca Balint
AU  - Ionuţ Pavel
AU  - Luciana Alexandra Crivei
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/18
JO  - Applied Sciences
DO  - 10.3390/app16126197
UR  - https://doi.org/10.3390/app16126197
AB  - Chitosan, produced through deacetylation of chitin from crustacean byproducts and, increasingly, fungal biomass and insects, is attracting food-sector interest because it combines antimicrobial activity, antioxidant capacity, biodegradability, and film-forming behavior in a single polymer. This review discusses how source, molecular weight (MW), degree of deacetylation, solubility, and charge density shape its performance in food systems. The paper then follows the main technological routes now tested or used: edible films and coatings, hydrogels, cryogels, nanoparticles, microcapsules, and hybrid matrices. These formats can protect fresh produce, meat, poultry, fish, seafood, and dairy foods, while also supporting beverage clarification, emulsion control, release of natural antimicrobials or antioxidants, and freshness monitoring in active or intelligent packaging. The evidence indicates strong promise, especially where microbial growth, lipid oxidation, moisture transfer, and short shelf life remain limiting factors. Yet, wider industrial use is still slowed by water sensitivity, sensory effects, raw-material variation, cost, process scale-up, and regulatory alignment. Future work should move beyond laboratory efficacy and address reproducible production, food-specific validation, and consumer acceptance.
SN  - 2076-3417
ER  -