Umar Ali, Maimuna Usman B., Yahya S. and Yahuza Z. A

Keywords: Schistocerca gregaria, Cambarus baratonii, desert grasshopper, physicochemical parameters, chitosan, degree of deacetylation (DD).

Abstract 

Chitosan a versatile biopolymer was prepared from Schistocerca gregaria (Desert Grasshopper) and Cambarus baratonii (Crayfish). The physicochemical and functional parameters of the two prepared chitosan were analysed. The structural differences between desert grasshopper Chitosan and Crayfish Chitosan were studied using FTIR and SEM analysis, where the FTIR spectra was used to determine the degree of deacetylation (DD). The results of the physicochemical and functional parameters revealed that, the two chitosan prepared shows NH stretching of primary amines at 3257cm^-1 indicating successful deacetylation. There were variations in fat binding capacity, Water binding capacity, moisture content and ash content between Chitosan prepared from Desert Grasshopper and the one prepared from Crayfish. However, they are both soluble in 2% acetic acid and have a pH of 6.7 and 7.0 respectively. The variations in the physicochemical and functional parameters of the two prepared chitosan were due to the differences in the DD and the morphological structures revealed by SEM.