Chitosan 101: What It Is, Where It Comes From, and Why It Matters

The Black Soldier Fly: Nature's Sustainable Source for High-Quality Chitosan (Image by Adobe Stock)

Introduction

You have probably never heard of chitosan, but this natural substance is quietly transforming everything from water treatment to hospital wound care. As a local councillor, a procurement officer, or a journalist covering environmental technology, you are likely looking for solutions that are both effective and sustainable. Chitosan is one of those rare materials that delivers on both fronts. It is a powerful, naturally-derived tool that can help solve some of the most pressing environmental and health challenges facing our communities today.

By the end of this article, you will understand what chitosan is, where it comes from, and why it could be a game-changer for your organisation and community. We will skip the technical jargon and focus on what truly matters: practical applications, proven benefits, and real-world impact.

What Is Chitosan?

To understand chitosan, we must first look at its source: chitin. Think of chitin as nature’s armour, it is the tough, protective material that forms the outer skeletons of insects, like beetles and Black Soldier Flies, and crustaceans, such as crabs and shrimp. It is one of the most abundant natural materials on Earth, second only to cellulose (the main component of plant cell walls).

Chitosan is simply a modified, more useful version of chitin. When chitin is processed, it transforms into chitosan, a versatile, fibrous material. The key difference is that this modification gives chitosan a unique and powerful ability: it becomes positively charged. This positive charge is the secret to its effectiveness, allowing it to interact with and neutralise many common problems.

Here are the four key properties of chitosan, explained in everyday language:

• Acts like a magnet for pollutants: Chitosan has a positive electrical charge. Many common pollutants in water, such as heavy metals, fats, oils, and suspended solids, carry a negative charge. Just like opposite ends of a magnet, the positive chitosan attracts the negative pollutants, causing them to clump together. This clumping process, known as flocculation, makes the pollutants easy to filter out, leaving the water clean.

  
  

• Kills bacteria without harsh chemicals: Chitosan is a natural antimicrobial agent. It works by disrupting the cell walls of harmful bacteria and fungi, effectively stopping their growth and preventing infection. This makes it invaluable in healthcare and agriculture as a natural alternative to synthetic chemicals.

  
  

• Helps wounds heal faster: In healthcare, chitosan is known as nature’s healing helper. It has a remarkable ability to help blood clot, which is why it is used in advanced wound dressings. Beyond stopping bleeding, its antimicrobial properties prevent infection, and it actively encourages the body’s natural tissue regeneration, leading to faster healing with less scarring.

  
  

• Naturally breaks down without harming the environment: Chitosan is biodegradable and biocompatible. This means that after it has done its job, whether in a water treatment plant or on a farm, it can be safely broken down by natural processes. It does not leave behind harmful residues or microplastics, making it a truly sustainable solution.

Where Does It Come From?

For decades, the world’s supply of chitin and chitosan came almost exclusively from the waste of the seafood industry, specifically the shells of shrimp and crabs.

Traditional Chitosan Source: Crab Shells from Seafood Industry Waste Have Supplied Chitosan for Decades

Traditional Source: Seafood Industry Waste

The traditional method relies on sourcing shells from seafood processing plants. While this uses a waste product, it comes with several drawbacks:

• Seasonal and Inconsistent: The supply is dependent on fishing seasons and market demand for seafood.

  
  

• Allergen Concerns: The final product can carry traces of shellfish allergens, which can limit its use in many applications, especially in food and medicine.

  
  

• Chemical-Intensive Processing: Extracting chitin from crustacean shells often requires harsh chemicals, which creates its own environmental waste challenge.

Modern Innovation: Black Soldier Flies

At Entoplast, we are pioneering a better, more sustainable way to produce high-quality chitosan: using Black Soldier Flies (BSF). This process is a perfect example of the circular economy in action.

The BSF larvae are fed organic waste, such as food scraps or agricultural by-products, which they efficiently convert into high-value biomass. The chitin is then extracted from the larvae’s clean, protective outer layer.

Why BSF-Derived Chitosan is More Sustainable

Feature	BSF-Derived Chitosan	Traditional Crustacean Chitosan
Source Material	Organic waste (waste valorisation)	Seafood industry waste
Sustainability	High. Supports circular economy, low environmental footprint.	Medium. Dependent on fishing industry, chemical-intensive processing.
Supply	Year-round, fully traceable, and scalable production.	Seasonal and inconsistent.
Allergens	Lower risk of cross-contamination with shellfish allergens due to controlled source.	Potential for shellfish allergens.
Purity	High purity, consistent quality.	Quality can vary depending on the source.

This innovation means we can produce a superior, consistent, and fully traceable product right here in the UK, without relying on fishing or creating additional waste.

What Can It Do? Real-World Applications

Chitosan’s unique properties make it an incredibly versatile material. It is already being used across multiple sectors to solve practical problems.

For Healthcare: Nature’s Healing Helper

Chitosan has been used in medical applications for decades, from the battlefield to the hospital.

• Advanced Wound Dressings: Its ability to stop bleeding quickly and prevent infection makes it a key component in advanced wound care.

  
  

• Speeds Healing: Chitosan not only protects the wound but actively interacts with the body to speed up the healing process and minimise scarring.

  
  

• Used in Surgical Materials: It is used in various surgical materials, including sutures and internal scaffolds, due to its biocompatibility and ability to be safely absorbed by the body.

For Farmers: Boosting Crop Health and Protection

Natural Crop Protection: Chitosan Boosts Plant Immunity and Reduces the Need for Synthetic Pesticides

Chitosan offers a powerful, natural tool for boosting crop health, protecting plants, and improving soil structure.

• Natural Crop Protection: Chitosan acts as a natural biopesticide and fungicide. It triggers a plant’s natural defence mechanisms, making it more resistant to diseases and pests, which reduces the need for synthetic chemical sprays.

  
  

• Enhances Growth and Yield: When applied to seeds or soil, chitosan acts as a natural plant growth promoter, helping crops grow stronger and faster, leading to better yields.

  
  

• Improves Soil Health: Chitosan helps improve the water retention capacity of the soil and fosters beneficial microbe populations, contributing to better nutrient cycling and soil structure.

For Water Utilities: Making Water Cleaner and Greener

For municipal leaders and water authority board members, chitosan offers a biodegradable alternative to traditional chemical flocculants.

• Removes Contaminants: Chitosan does the job of several chemical treatments in one natural product. Its magnetic property allows it to remove a wide range of contaminants, including heavy metals, sediment, and organic matter, from both drinking water and wastewater.

  
  

• Biodegradable Alternative: Unlike synthetic chemicals that can leave residues, chitosan breaks down naturally, making the entire water treatment process more environmentally friendly.

  
  

• Cost-Effective: In many applications, chitosan is comparable to or even cheaper than the chemical alternatives it replaces, offering both an environmental and economic benefit.

For Other Industries

Chitosan’s versatility extends far beyond water and health:

• Food Preservation: It is used as a natural, edible coating to extend the shelf life of fruits, vegetables, and other foods.

  
  

• Textile Treatments: It can be applied to fabrics to give them natural antimicrobial properties.

  
  

• Manufacturing: It is used in various manufacturing processes as a binder, thickener, or filter.

Why Should You Care?

As a decision-maker, your focus is on finding solutions that benefit your community, your budget, and the environment. Chitosan addresses all three.

• Environmental Benefits: By reducing the need for synthetic chemicals in water treatment and agriculture, and by supporting the circular economy through BSF production, chitosan offers a clear path to lower environmental impact. It is a truly biodegradable material that helps protect our rivers and soils.

  
  

• Economic Benefits: Chitosan is often cost-effective, offering comparable or cheaper solutions than chemical alternatives. Furthermore, Entoplast’s UK production creates green jobs and provides a secure, local supply chain, reducing reliance on overseas imports.

  
  

• Health and Safety Benefits: Using natural alternatives in water treatment and healthcare reduces the exposure of workers and the public to harsh synthetic chemicals, leading to a safer environment for everyone.

Common Questions Answered

We believe in transparency. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions we receive:

Question	Answer
Is it safe?	Yes. Chitosan is non-toxic and has been used safely in food, medicine, and cosmetics for decades. Our BSF-derived chitosan is produced in a controlled environment.
Is it expensive?	Chitosan is often comparable to, or in some cases cheaper than, the chemical alternatives it replaces, especially when considering the long-term environmental and health costs of synthetic products.
Does it really work?	Absolutely. Chitosan’s effectiveness is proven in thousands of applications worldwide, from advanced medical devices to large-scale municipal water treatment plants.
Can it replace chemicals?	Often, yes. In many applications, particularly flocculation and antimicrobial treatments, chitosan can fully replace synthetic chemicals. In other cases, it works alongside them to improve overall efficiency and reduce chemical load.
Is this new technology?	No. Chitin and chitosan are ancient materials found in nature. What is new is the modern, sustainable way Entoplast produces it using Black Soldier Flies, opening up new, cleaner applications.
Is it available now?	Yes. Entoplast is a UK based sustainable BSF-derived chitosan supplier, providing a reliable, high-quality supply for your organisation today.

Conclusion

Chitosan is a proven, natural, and cost-effective solution for multiple challenges in agriculture, water management, and healthcare. It is a material that embodies the future of sustainable technology, powerful enough to clean our water and heal our bodies, yet gentle enough to break down naturally.

At Entoplast, we are committed to transparency and accessibility. We are a UK based sustainable Black Soldier Fly-derived chitosan supplier, and we are a partner that speaks your language, not just science-speak. We are here to be a resource for practical guidance and applications. We invite you to explore how this remarkable natural material can benefit your organisation or community.