What Is Chitin and Why It Matters?

Chitin is one of those things that you know about but might be unclear as to the details.

For those of you who aren’t sure what chitin is, it’s the fibrous substance found in the exoskeleton of arthropods like insects, crabs, and lobsters.

Yep, that crunchy stuff you’re munching on when you’re devouring a crab leg? That’s chitin! It’s also found in the cell walls of fungi and is similar in structure to the plant fiber cellulose.

The Science of Extracting Chitin: A Two-Step Process

But here’s the interesting part: extracting chitin can be a bit of a science project, and that’s where hot water and alcohol come into play.

Step One: Hot Water Extraction 

First off, let’s tackle hot water extraction. 

Imagine you’re cooking pasta—you need hot water to soften those hard shells, right? It’s kind of the same idea here. Hot water helps in decalcifying and deproteinizing the chitin structure.

Step Two: Alcohol Extraction 

Enter alcohol extraction. 

You might be wondering why we need another step. 

Well, think of hot water as the opening act of a concert. It gets the crowd warmed up, but you’re still waiting for the headliner. Alcohol extraction is that headliner.

Why are both methods necessary? 

Picture this: you’re detailing your car. The hot water is like the soap and water scrubbing off the surface dirt, while the alcohol is like the wax that picks up whatever’s left, giving it that showroom shine.

Bottom line: The combination of hot water and alcohol extraction isn’t just a cool science experiment you can chat about at parties (well, maybe nerdy parties). It’s a necessary two-step dance that takes you from a biological cocktail of proteins, fats, and minerals to the chitin we know and love.

Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences on our Facebook group and Discord channel.

As always.

Shine bright. Do good. Flow strong.

Asha ✨