Extending the shelf life of agricultural products from shrimp shells

From seemingly discarded shrimp shells, a group of students from Van Lang University have researched and developed a product to help preserve vegetables and fruits for longer.

On December 13, the Center for Information and Statistics of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City (Cesti) in collaboration with Van Lang University organized an event to introduce the process of producing Chitosan products from shrimp shells for application in preserving agricultural products after harvest, prolonging product storage time.

The research team representative said that to make the product, it must go through many stages, such as: drying the shrimp shells, cleaning, disinfecting the shells, grinding into powder and then mixing with other ingredients to create the Chitosan product.

Dr. Vu Thi Quyen said that this research result brings a lot of potential for the agricultural processing industry in Vietnam.

According to Dr. Vu Thi Quyen, Head of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Technology, Van Lang University, in recent years, biological products used in preserving fruits and vegetables have received much attention from consumers due to their safety for agricultural products, food and human health. The results of this research are expected to bring great potential to the agricultural processing industry in Vietnam. In 2022, about 30% - 35% of fruits and vegetables will be lost after harvest, which is a major disadvantage for farmers as well as the fruit and vegetable market in Vietnam.

Currently, Chitosan biological products can be widely used in preserving tropical fruits and vegetables and help extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables 2-3 times compared to conventional preservation methods. Specifically, the group has tested on some types of fruits and vegetables in Vietnam such as: mango and dragon fruit after being soaked in Chitosan solution from shrimp shells can be preserved for up to 30 days. Other types of fruits and vegetables can be preserved for 15-45 days without changing the nutrients.

“Chitosan biological product from shrimp shells has been proven to be effective in preserving fruits and vegetables when combined with GreenMAP bags and stored at 10 ^degrees Celsius. When soaking the product in the solution, in addition to sterilizing, the product also creates a biological film on the outside of the fruits and vegetables, limiting the evaporation of water, helping to preserve them longer. In addition, the product also creates a biological recycling circle, when mixed with water to soak the fruit and then this water can be used to fertilize the plants,” shared Dr. Vu Thi Quyen.

According to statistics from the General Department of Fisheries, in Vietnam, shrimp production will always increase every year, and it is forecasted that by 2045, this output will double. On average, 1 ton of finished shrimp will discharge about 0.75 tons of waste. With a large amount of waste, it will have a great impact on the environment. If this waste source is utilized to create useful products, it can help people proactively improve economic efficiency, increase income, develop the agricultural sector, and at the same time solve the problem of shrimp shell by-product treatment, bringing profits to businesses.

BUI TUAN

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