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Chitin derivatives

Besides cellulose, chitin is the most widespread polysaccharide on earth. It is used for structure formation and is found, for example, in the cell wall of fungi, in the shell of crustaceans and in the carapace of insects. The substance has a strong positive charge and is used in wastewater treatment as a filter material for the separation of negatively charged substances, as a starting material for bioplastics, and in medicine as a substitute skin for burns and as an anti-inflammatory substance. The derivative chitosan is produced from chitin and has fungicidal, bactericidal, haemostatic and heavy metal-binding properties. Chitosans have been used in fruit juice production for some time now for clarification, reduction of tannin notes and colour stabilisation. The derivative chitin-glucan is mainly found in the fungal kingdom.

In 2009, chitosan and chitin-glucan were approved for wine treatment at the General Assembly of the OIV in Zagreb, which was then extended to the EU level by an EU regulation on 21 January 2011. However, chitin derivatives are only permitted from fungal cultures, because allergenic effects are known to occur in products from crustaceans. Both derivatives are used for clarifying must and fining wine. In must clarification is facilitated and a preventive treatment of protein turbidity is achieved. The effects on wine are prevention of iron or copper cloudiness, control of harmful substances such as ochratoxin A, and inhibition of the population of microorganisms, especially Brettanomyces. See also under glucanases.

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