The project ChitoNExt is funded by both the European Union and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (ERDF/JTF program NRW 2021-2027; Start-up Transfer.NRW scheme). It deals with the biotechnological extraction of chitosans and proteins from insects and is scheduled to run from March 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025. The project team consists of Dr. Max Linhorst and Marius Anger.

The team is working on an enzymatic process that enables the 100% sustainable production of degradable, bio-based chitosans from insects and makes the proteins remaining as a by-product usable as animal feed. The enzymes enable gentle reactions and the simultaneous extraction of proteins that are almost impossible to chemically realize. Several process steps are reduced to just one, saving energy and material resources. Chitosan is conventionally obtained by a chemical process from the shells of crustaceans. However, the biotechnological approach offers distinct advantages. Firstly, it enables a more climate-friendly and environmentally respectful extraction process. Secondly, it facilitates the extraction of the material with outstanding properties, such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, and antimicrobial activity, in a more efficient manner. Furthermore, these properties can be adapted in a single step for a variety of applications in biomedicine, electronics, and coatings.

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