Biological activities, mechanisms and applications of chitooligosaccharides in the food industry

Abstract

Chitin is the second most abundant natural polysaccharide after cellulose, the lower molecular weight oligomers of its alkaline deacetylation product, chitooligosaccharides (COS), have a wide range of biological activities and important application prospects in the food, pharmaceutical and other industries. COS can be produced by physical, chemical, or enzymatic methods, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The biological activities of COS are influenced by their physicochemical properties, but the mechanisms of are incompletely understood. Thus, this review discusses the synthesis of COS, biological activities such as antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, hypocholesterolemic activity and enhancement of calcium absorption and their mechanisms in the context of different molecular weights and degree of polymerization, as well as their applications in the food industry. Finally, the need of comprehensive characterization of COS and elucidation of its molecular mechanisms were highlighted, to further promote the commercialization and application of COS in the food industry.

Keywords

• Chitooligosaccharides
• Preparation
• Biological activities
• Mechanisms
• Food application