Biotechnological advances in the production of fungal chitosan

Abstract

Fungal biology has made important advances in recent decades, enabling the extraction of molecules of biotechnological interest, such as chitin, one of the most versatile and abundant biopolymers in nature. Several studies suggest that fungal organisms cultivated on a large scale can be used as an alternative source for obtaining this polysaccharide. Thus, this review presents the most recent biotechnological advances in the production of chitin and its derived products, evaluating the potential use of fungal organisms as a commercial source of this raw material.