What Are the Benefits of Chitosan?

Made from chitin, found in the outer shells of crustaceans like shrimp, lobster and crabs, chitosan provides benefits ranging from wound healing to extending the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. Chitosan can also cause weight loss and the lowering of cholesterol. Although considered nontoxic, avoid chitosan during pregnancy or if you are allergic to shellfish.

Absorbs Oils and Fats

• Ground chitosan stripped of certain chemical groups will soak up toxic oils and heavy metals when spread over water surfaces. Countries around the world use chitosan to detoxify water in purification plants.

  As a fiber, chitosan appears to work in the same way in the human body, absorbing and oils and fats four to six times its weight. This absorption can cause weight loss. Chitosan also boosts HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol; according to a 2008 study at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill.

Wound Healing

• A February 2009 abstract by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston revealed that chitosan acetate bandages previously applied to infected, "full-thickness excisional wounds in mice" killed disease-producing bacteria rapidly, sped up wound healing and prevented fatal infections. These discoveries helped in developing chitosan acetate bandages for humans to help heal wounds, control the growth of harmful bacteria and prevent blood poisoning.

  The chitosan acetate bandages work to heal wounds by becoming sticky as it contacts blood, creating a gluelike substance that controls bleeding and seals the wound tightly. These bandages control bleeding even for patients on blood thinner medication, allowing the blood to clot naturally.

Extends the Shelf Life of Meats

• In 2010, researchers at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, reported that chitosan lactate infused into polyethylene, a plastic film for packaging, significantly extends the red color shelf life of refrigerated, sliced meats. Chitosan increases the absorption of water vapors and decreases the film's ability to stretch.

Aids Growth of Produce

• Chitosan extends treated fruit and vegetables' shelf life by forming a semipermeable coating, meaning chitosan lets some small molecules pass through while preventing others. This allows chitosan to reduce water loss and reduce the respiration rate of fruit and vegetables. Chitosan also prevents fungus growth in vegetation.