Chitosan is a new target of chemical replacement to formalin in food preservative

Abstract

The conventional way of food preservation by using synthetic chemicals like formalin has been used for many years. But the fact that they have been found as health hazardous/poisonous, also having some demerits like cancer, brain cancer, skin diseases, trouble in respiration, vomiting. Chitosan is a natural biopolymer produced from the exoskeletons of shrimp and crab, which shows antimicrobial activities against microbial pathogens. This study aimed to evaluate the propensity of chitosan to replace of formalin compared to untreated control. Six doses of chitosan solution viz. (0, 125, 250,500, 750 and 1000 ppm) were emerged in alternate day on banana (Champa), tomato, apple, brinjal, palwal, cauliflower and carrot. Then observe one to ten days and record the decay of results respectively. It revealed that chitosan extended shelf life of all fruits/ vegetable by delaying the decay; however, level of protection varied in different kinds of fruits and vegetable as well as in doses of the chitosan used. So we can say that chitosan acts as an alternative preservative to formalin without hampering health and low toxicity.