TURNING WASTE INTO USABLE PRODUCTS: A CASE STUDY OF EXTRACTING CHITOSAN FROM BLUE CRAB

The purpose of this project was to develop a practical and cost efficient alternative to the current disposal of seafood waste in the North Florida region. Fortuitously, due to an unusually high turnover rate, this reconceptualization study may have turned seafood waste into a hot commodity. At least that is one conclusion one can draw from these findings. Indeed, over the past decades, under the pressure of volume and environmental concerns, Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus Rathbun) waste, usually considered a nuisance in North Florida, has seen a historical shift in its disposal and utilization. From the 10 million lbs generated in the region last year, almost 30%, compared to 10% the year before, has been processed into usable products. These products have found use in biotechnology, food, biomedical and environmental and agricultural industries. The latter was mainly processed in the form of chitosan, a chemical known to promote seed germination and control economically destructive fungal diseases. This reconceptualization of seafood waste could represent a new market or economic opportunity for limited-land owners in coastal areas all over the world.