Lighting the Way Knowledge Assessment in Prince Edward Island (1999) / Chapter Skim
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2 Chitin Production from Lobster and Crab Shells on PEI
2 Chitin Production from Lobster and Crab Shells on PEI
Pages 61-68
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From page 61... ...
on chitin production took place on the campus of the University of Prince Edward Island. Participants included representatives of the fishing industry, the Atlantic Veterinary College, the Food Technology Center, the Provincial Government, and the private sector.
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From page 62... ...
The chitin released by the shells of molting organisms falls to the sea bed where it forms a powerful chelating agent, attracting heavy metals, especially transition metals, and providing nuclei for the manganese nodules found on the ocean floor. At the other end of the spectrum, chitin is metabolized by the human body to produce glucose, and it has been adopted by advocates as a nutraceutical dietary supplement.
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From page 63... ...
The objective will be to produce high grade, reliable, quality controlled product. The list of possible applications is long, and includes water treatment, seed coating for protection from fungi, hair products, surgical sutures, fruit and vegetable preservatives, fungicide, contact lenses, animal feed, cholesterol or fat reduction, fiber additive, and basal material for sustained drug release.
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From page 64... ...
However, at present there are no existing successful chitin processing plants based on lobster; the commercial processes are generally designed for shrimp or crab, and the lobster-derived product must be tested to assure process efficiency and product quality. The elements of the basic process are: 1.
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From page 65... ...
One of them could be expanded to embrace a central chitin manufacturing plant, but it may not be feasible or safe to locate the central plant near where food is processed. More appropriate would be association with an industrial chemical plant or wastewater treatment plant.
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From page 66... ...
The quality factors are: solubility; viscosity; molecular weight; degree of deacetylation, or free amine content; moisture content; protein content; ash content; lipid content; and optical activity. Other tests for special applications are: amino acid profile; trace metal analysis; fatty acid profile; thermal stability; metal adsorption; crystallinity; antigenicity; and pyrogenicity.
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From page 67... ...
Unfortunately there is no graduate program at UPEI or Holland College related to chitin research, so the research program can not easily be used to train the next generation of experts in this field. A graduate program in biochemistry could train a generation of scientists specializing in marine products that could benefit all of Atlantic Canada, and a chitin plant would provide a good opportunity for cooperative training.
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From page 68... ...
There are also Federal funds available to support science and technology initiatives, which might support the pilot project. Even DuPont has components that provide venture capital.
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