Abstract

To control the impact of the invasive crayfish Faxonius limosus on native crayfish and fish biodiversity in the Danube River ecosystem, one possible approach is the valorization of this species through the production of value-added biopolymers, considering the continuously increasing demand for chitosan. However, there are very limited data regarding the utilization of Faxonius limosus shell waste as a source of chitosan. Therefore, this study evaluated chitosan recovery from spiny-cheek crayfish shell, including conventional chemical treatment with different demineralization intensities and numbers of deproteinization steps, as well as ultrasound and autolysis-assisted deproteinization. The obtained chitosans were characterized in terms of yield, moisture content, degree of deacetylation, color, crystallinity and structural properties. Residual heavy metal concentrations (Hg, Cd and Pb) were determined to assess the safety of crayfish shell as a raw material intended for food-related applications. Particular emphasis was placed on gel-related functional properties of obtained chitosans, including rheological behavior, wettability on fruit surfaces, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, and film-forming ability. These properties govern the formation of structured biopolymeric networks and their performance as active food coating materials. The relationships between the extraction process, physicochemical characteristics and functional performance were investigated to identify the most suitable chitosan for potential food preservation applications. The results demonstrated that extraction conditions significantly affected the physicochemical and functional properties of chitosan. Samples obtained through intensive deproteinization showed enhanced antimicrobial activity, whereas higher antioxidant activity was observed in samples containing residual bioactive compounds. Most formulations exhibited suitable wettability on apple and nectarine surfaces and successfully formed transparent films, indicating their potential application as edible coatings.

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