Secondary products and bioactive compounds of Hermetia illucens: Extraction, chemical properties, and potential application of chitin and chitosan

Chitin, the second most abundant biopolymer after cellulose, is a structural component of the exoskeleton of Hermetia illucens that can be employed for its extraction from the larval to the adult stage. Due to its poor solubility, chitin is converted into chitosan, its more soluble and versatile derivative. The main chemical extraction processes ensure biopolymers with purity and yields comparable to those from crustaceans, the industrial source, and from other insects, already studied in literature. Chitosan from H. illucens, solubilized in an acidic environment, has numerous biological characteristics, such as antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities that make it a viable alternative to the commercial biopolymer. It can be applied in the agrifood sector to extend the shelf life of fresh products, as well as in biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. Dipteran-derived biopolymers are also used in nanometric form as carriers for the release of bioactive molecules.