Next Article in Journal
A Cloud-Native Blockchain-Integrated Architecture for Digital Credential Management in Learning Management Systems: Empirical Performance Evaluation and Deployment Trade-Offs
Previous Article in Journal
Automatic Diacritization Models for a High-Population Low-Resource African Language (Yorùbá)
Previous Article in Special Issue
The Quality of an Innovative Meat–Plant Paste with Increased Nutritional Value
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Applied Sciences
Volume 16
Issue 12
10.3390/app16126197
applsci-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Review

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

by
Ioana Cristina Crivei
1,
Roxana Nicoleta Ratu
1,*,
Ionuț-Dumitru Velescu
1,*,
Florin Daniel Lipșa
1,
Florina Stoica
2,
Andreea Bianca Balint
1,
Ina Iuliana Pavel
3 and
Luciana Alexandra Crivei
3
1
Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, “Ion Ionescu de La Brad” Iasi University of Life Sciences, 3 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700490 Iasi, Romania
2
Department of Pedotechnics, Faculty of Agriculture, Iasi University of Life Sciences, 3 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700489 Iasi, Romania
3
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, “Ion Ionescu de La Brad” Iasi University of Life Sciences, 3 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700490 Iasi, Romania
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(12), 6197; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16126197 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 20 May 2026 / Revised: 9 June 2026 / Accepted: 15 June 2026 / Published: 18 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Additives for Enhancing the Quality and Shelf Life of Animal-Based Food Products)
Versions Notes

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.
Keywords: chitosan; food preservation; active packaging; controlled release; animal-derived foods chitosan; food preservation; active packaging; controlled release; animal-derived foods

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Crivei, I.C.; Ratu, R.N.; Velescu, I.-D.; Lipșa, F.D.; Stoica, F.; Balint, A.B.; Pavel, I.I.; Crivei, L.A. Chitosan-Based Technologies in the Food Industry: Functional Properties, Advanced Applications, and Future Perspectives. Appl. Sci. 2026, 16, 6197. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16126197

AMA Style

Crivei IC, Ratu RN, Velescu I-D, Lipșa FD, Stoica F, Balint AB, Pavel II, Crivei LA. Chitosan-Based Technologies in the Food Industry: Functional Properties, Advanced Applications, and Future Perspectives. Applied Sciences. 2026; 16(12):6197. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16126197

Chicago/Turabian Style

Crivei, Ioana Cristina, Roxana Nicoleta Ratu, Ionuț-Dumitru Velescu, Florin Daniel Lipșa, Florina Stoica, Andreea Bianca Balint, Ina Iuliana Pavel, and Luciana Alexandra Crivei. 2026. "Chitosan-Based Technologies in the Food Industry: Functional Properties, Advanced Applications, and Future Perspectives" Applied Sciences 16, no. 12: 6197. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16126197

APA Style

Crivei, I. C., Ratu, R. N., Velescu, I.-D., Lipșa, F. D., Stoica, F., Balint, A. B., Pavel, I. I., & Crivei, L. A. (2026). Chitosan-Based Technologies in the Food Industry: Functional Properties, Advanced Applications, and Future Perspectives. Applied Sciences, 16(12), 6197. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16126197

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop