Global Chitosan Market will Cross USD 5,170.37 million Mark by 2032

Market Research Future (MRFR) has published on the “Global Chitosan Market”.
Market Synopsis

According to the MRFR analysis, the global Chitosan market was valued at USD 1,326.55 million in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 5,170.37 million by 2032 at a CAGR of 15.05%.

The key factors driving the growth of the chitosan market include the increasing awareness of its health benefits and unique properties. As consumers prioritize natural and sustainable products, chitosan's reputed cholesterol-lowering and weight management properties are gaining recognition, fostering demand in dietary supplements and functional foods

COVID-19 Impact on the Chitosan Market

The COVID-19 outbreak had a multifaceted impact on the Chitosan market, disrupting the supply chain and altering market dynamics. Initially, the pandemic led to significant interruptions in the supply of raw materials, primarily crustacean shells sourced from seafood processing industries. As lockdowns and restrictions on movement were imposed globally, seafood production and processing activities were hampered, leading to a reduced availability of raw materials. This scarcity affected the primary processing stages of chitosan production, where cleaning, grinding, demineralization, and deproteinization processes were delayed or halted due to limited raw material supply and workforce shortages. The chitosan production facilities faced operational challenges due to the need to implement health and safety protocols, which often led to reduced workforce capacities and slower production rates. The implementation of social distancing measures, frequent sanitization, and the need for personal protective equipment further increased operational costs and complexity. These disruptions not only delayed production timelines but also increased the cost of production, impacting the overall pricing of chitosan products.

Global logistics and transportation were disrupted due to border closures, restricted air and sea freight operations, and quarantine measures. These challenges led to delays in the shipment of chitosan to various markets, affecting the timely delivery of products. The increased cost of transportation and the need for rerouting also contributed to higher logistical expenses, which were often passed down the supply chain, ultimately affecting end consumers. Despite these challenges, the pandemic also created new opportunities for the Chitosan market. The heightened focus on health and hygiene led to increased demand for biopolymer-based products in medical and pharmaceutical applications. Chitosan's antimicrobial properties made it a valuable ingredient in sanitizers, wound dressings, and other healthcare products. The demand for natural and sustainable products saw a surge, with consumers and industries seeking alternatives to synthetic materials, further driving the interest in chitosan-based solutions.

Competitive Landscape

The global Chitosan market is driven and consists of several organized and unorganized industry players. The main companies in the global chitosan oil market are aiming to provide cost-efficient and high-quality chitosan to sustain their presence in an intensely competitive market environment. The key players operating in the global chitosan market comprise Golden-Shell Pharmaceutical, Primex ehf, Dainichiseika Color & Chemicals Mfg.., Ltd, Marshall Marine Products, KitoZyme, Qingdao Yunzhou Biochemistry Co. Ltd., Heppe Medical Chitosan GmbH, Advanced Biopolymers AS, Meron, Panvo Organics Pvt Ltd., and Others.

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Segmentation

By Source

1. Shrimps: Shrimps are usually little animals that belong to the crustacean family. The wide usage of chitosan in various applications such as food and beverages, medical and pharmaceutical, cosmetic, water treatment as well as agrochemicals has increased the production of shrimps for its extraction which in turn would boost its market growth in the upcoming years. As a part of this, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, in 2023, the amount of shrimp produced worldwide hit a record of 9.4 million tons. After experiencing setbacks during the COVID-19 year of 2021, the sector made a remarkable recovery. In 2023, the proportion of farmed shrimp to the overall shrimp production rose to 63 percent. Over half of the shrimp produced worldwide came from Vannamei shrimp. Moreover, the increasing government support to strengthen the marine sector is likely to boost its market growth in the upcoming years. As a part of this, in February 2024, the Canadian government announced that it would create ten new national marine conservation zones, as part of its commitment to protect thirty percent of its lands and seas by 2030. The 5th International Marine Protected Area Congress, which took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, from February 3 to 9, 2024, was the occasion for the announcement. The management of maritime areas designated as National Maritime Conservation Areas (NMCA) aims to protect representative marine ecosystems while allowing for the environmentally sound use of marine resources. In NMCAs, fisheries and aquaculture are managed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). The December 2023 approval of a new NMCA Policy Framework would serve as the foundation for the NMCAs. The importance of collaborating with and overseeing projects with Indigenous peoples is emphasized, and it sets the course for all current and future NMCAs. Eight management goals are laid forth for the NMCA program in the new policy. The updated policy, which outlines the management of NMCAs, has also brought in a new zoning system that is more sensitive to the aims of environmental sustainability and preservation. In compliance with the Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act, outlines a range of management methods for NMCAs, including the legal documents that need to be made.


2. Prawns: A prawn is a small crustacean that is part of the Decapoda group. It has ten legs and an exoskeleton. Some of its legs can be eaten. The increasing government investment to strengthen the prawn’s sector, which is further used to extract chitosan, is likely to fuel its market growth in the upcoming years. As a part of this, in December 2024, the government is making progress on the around USD 100 million prawn production project that will soon get underway at Onverwagt, Region Five, as part of its efforts to boost the aquaculture sector. The minister of agriculture is still hopeful that the idea will be repeated nationwide because comparable programs are already being implemented in both traditional and non-traditional locations. These programs show that the government wants to support the agricultural as well as non-agricultural industry while also bringing down the price of imported food to contribute to the achievement of the 25 by 2025 goal.


3. Crabs: A crab is usually a flat, spherical marine creature with five pairs of legs whose body is enclosed in a shell or whose flesh is consumed as food, or which is used in a wide range of applications. Since population growth and seafood consumption have increased recently, a huge quantity of crab and shrimp shells have been dumped by seafood markets and companies. There are now environmental issues because of the ongoing production of these renewable biomaterials without technological advancement or utilization. A substantial amount of chitin, pigment, protein, and lipids can be found in the waste from shrimp and crab. The food, pharmaceutical, paper, pulp, and textile sectors, as well as the biotechnology and medical fields, might all benefit greatly from the use of these bioactive chemicals. Moreover, the increasing adoption of various strategies by companies present across the world to derive chitosan from crabs is likely to boost its market growth in the upcoming years. As a part of this, a firm in Washington called Tidal Vision recycles used crab shells to make chitosan, a positively charged biopolymer with a wide range of uses in agriculture, textile manufacturing, sustainable water treatment, and other fields.


4. Lobster: Lobster is a common marine species that lives at night on the seafloor. Their tails are muscular, and their bodies are long. They are eight-paired limbers. For mobility, there are big claws on three of the front pairs. Moreover, the increased application of lobster to produce chitosan is likely to increase its production which is a major factor propelling its market growth in the upcoming years. As a part of this, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, following a decline in 2021, the global lobster trade has begun to rebound in 2022. In comparison to the 73 933 tonnes imported during the same period in 2020, the volume of lobster imports fell by 19.5 percent to 59 813 tonnes during the first half of 2021. However, the world's lobster imports rebounded in the first half of 2022, rising 22.4 percent to 73 237 tonnes. The United States of America experienced a robust rebound in imports, rising by 25.4% to 30 501 tonnes. China's imports increased as well, albeit only by 13.8% to 21 162 tons. Comparing the first half of 2022 to the same period in 2021, China imported 31.3 percent more goods from Canada (11 264 tonnes) and 81.4 percent more goods from the United States of America (2 927 tonnes). Both the US and Canada demonstrated remarkable increases in their exports: US lobster exports increased by 54.6 percent to 7 080 tonnes, while Canadian exports increased by 28.1 percent to 51 440 tonnes. Australia's exports decreased, albeit only very slightly.


5. Fungi: The fungi that produce the chitosan is known to remove chitosan from its cell wall. Food preservation, wound healing, medication administration, and antibacterial activity are just a few of the biological uses for it. Unlike crustacean chitosan, which has uncontrolled properties, fungal chitosan is a biopolymer that is extracted from fungal sources like mushrooms and can be used for a variety of food and pharmaceutical purposes. The growing pharmaceutical industry coupled with the increased usage of chitosan in it is likely to propel its market growth in the upcoming years. As a part of this, according to Invest India, as of right now, India's pharmaceutical market is worth USD 50 million. Pharma exports from India are a significant industry, serving more than 200 nations worldwide. Approximately 40% of the US's generic needs, over 50% of Africa's generic needs, and 25% of all medicines sold in the UK come from India. Additionally, almost 60% of the world's vaccine demand comes from India, which is a major provider of DPT, BCG, and measles vaccinations. According to the WHO's essential vaccination schedule, India supplies 70% of the vaccines used in the immunization program. A tasteless, odorless powder or flake, chitosan is insoluble in water, alcohol, and most organic solvents but soluble in diluted acids. It is white to off-white. It is applied to tablets and capsules as a coating agent, disintegrant, and binder.

By Grade

1. Food Grade: Food-grade chitosan is an amorphous, flavorless, semi-transparent powder that is off-white. Insoluble in water and alkali, but soluble in acid and common organic solvents, broke down at 185°C.Commercial chitosan is made by deacetylating chitin in crabs and shrimp by treating them with the alkali sodium hydroxide. Chitosan is a special form of dietary fiber that absorbs fat. Moreover, the wide usage of chitosan in a range of food applications is likely to boost its market growth in the upcoming years. As a part of this, chitosan as a clarifying and deacidifying ingredient for fruit juices: For example, in grapefruit juice, chitosan works well as a clarifying agent, whether pectinase is applied. Chitosan can reduce the levels of ascorbic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, l-malic acid, and oxalic acid in fruit juice. Chitosan offers antimicrobial protection for fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, and liquid items because of its cationic chemical structure, which enables it to bond directly to the outer membrane of microbe cells. Moreover, the growing government support to strengthen the food sector is likely to increase the demand for chitosan which in turn would boost its market growth in the future. As a part of this, in September 2019, the government will loosen rules governing foreign direct investment (FDI) to support the food processing industry, which has drawn USD 8.7 million in investment. The establishment of a manufacturing facility in the food processing industry is permitted to use 100% FDI. It is anticipated that the administration will soon release a new industrial policy. Artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things will be covered by the proposed policy, creating new investment opportunities in India. Hence, the wide application of chitosan in various applications coupled with the increasing government investment to support the food sector is likely to fuel its market growth in the upcoming years.


2. Industrial Grade: Industrial-grade chitosan is usually a compound with a lot of hydroxyl groups and atoms of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon. Combining them with lipids and proteins is simple. Industrial-grade chitosan is useful for storing energy temporarily and is a structural element of cellulose-based cells. The wide usage of chitosan in textiles, paper, energy, and many more is likely to increase its production which in turn would drive its market growth in the upcoming years. Hence, the growing government support across various countries to foster the textile sector is likely to contribute to its segmental growth in the upcoming years. As a part of this, in March 2025, Odisha is building an eco-system and hopes to get a total of Rs 10,974 crore in funding, to draw in investments in the textile, apparel, and technical textiles industries. The government of Odisha has created or intends to create three parks: an apparel park at Aranga in Khodha, a textile park at Kalibeti in Khordha, and a technical textile park in Bhadrak. Over one lakh jobs in the textile, clothing, and technical textile industries will be created by the Rs 10,974 crore investment from 26 companies in the state. Textile and apparel production has a significant potential to create jobs for women, making it a thrust industry in the new industrial policy that the Odisha government announced in 2023. In April 2025, the US government announced a major investment through the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines initiative in the nation's innovation ecosystems, with a particular emphasis on the textile industry. This effort, which is a component of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, is expected to revolutionize multiple industries, with a particular focus on sustainable textiles.

3. Pharmaceutical-grade: Pharmaceutical-grade chitosan is usually utilized in surgical threads, bandages, sponges, dental implants, and contact lenses. It can be utilized as a scaffold for bone regeneration because it is biocompatible and biodegradable, can also be used as a material for wound dressings, implants, and blood replacements or vessels. Chitosan is also used in weight management or for use in dietary supplements because it can function as an anti-tumor agent or tumor inhibitor, treat leukemia or diabetes, and assist reduce blood or liver cholesterol. Moreover, the increasing adoption of various policies across the different government bodies to support the pharmaceutical industry is likely to increase the demand for chitosan which in turn would boost its market growth in the upcoming years. As a part of this, in September 2024, the government implemented an investor-friendly Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Policy regime to bring in global best practices through technology, innovation, and skill development for accelerated economic growth and development for the pharmaceutical industry. Additionally, the policy will supplement capital for upscaling domestic productivity, increase competitiveness, and create employment, among other benefits. Following the current Foreign Direct Investment Policy, greenfield pharmaceutical projects are eligible for 100% automatic foreign investment. Government clearance is needed for investments above 74% in brownfield pharmaceutical projects, with foreign direct investment (FDI) allowing up to 74% under the automatic method. Over the last five years, from 2019–19 to 2023–23, the pharmaceutical sector has received FDI inflows of Rs. 43,713 crores. The last fiscal year saw a notable 58% increase in foreign direct investment in the sector. In October 2024, Lagosta S.A. announced that it has partnered with the multinational scientific and technology corporation Merck to distribute its exclusive chitosan via the industry-leading eCommerce platform of their Life scientific business. Pharma, biotech, and the biomedical sector may utilize the substance exclusively for research and development purposes, in 3D bioprinting, drug delivery, and medical device applications. As per the agreement, Merck's Life Science division will showcase and disseminate Lagosta's superior chitosan by utilizing its proficiency in sales, marketing, and eCommerce, as well as its robust connections with the scientific community. Chitosan is a biopolymer that is antibacterial, biocompatible, and biodegradable. Lagosta's farmed, sustainable production method enables high-quality and consistent reproducibility of chitosan, unlocking possibilities for research in several domains, from implants to batteries. Hence, the growing government support to strengthen the pharmaceutical sector coupled with the increasing adoption of various strategies by major players is likely to contribute to its segmental growth during the forecast period.

By Application

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   Food and beverages: Chitosan, a natural polymer primarily sourced from chitin present in the shells of crustaceans, has been gaining considerable interest for its wide-ranging applications in various industries. Of these, the food and beverage sector emerges as a key influencer in the global chitosan market, utilizing its distinct characteristics to enhance product quality, prolong shelf life, and enhance health benefits. Chitosan has significant antibacterial characteristics and is very efficient against various viruses, fungi, and bacteria. This property renders it an excellent complement for keeping the nutritional value of perishable foods. Chitosan, an organic and recyclable chemical, meets the rising customer need for ecologically acceptable and sustainable packaging for food solutions. Chitosan can be used to create edible films and coatings to preserve vegetables, fruits, and other perishables. These coatings help to reduce transpiration, postpone oxidation, and restrict microbiological development. Chitosan can be used to add fiber from plants to food goods, therefore boosting their nutritional value. It also can bond with lipids like cholesterol, potentially lowering cholesterol levels if ingested. Chitosan has many uses in the food and beverage sector, including preservation, packaging, and functional meals. Chitosan-based coatings protect vegetables, fruits, flesh, and fish from dampness and contamination by bacteria, extending their period of storage. Chitosan is used in food items and packing to prevent the development of spoilage and harmful bacteria, improving food safety and lifespan. Chitosan is utilized in nutritional products for its positive health effects, which include shedding pounds, lipid reduction, and better digestion. Chitosan-based films that are edible are employed in packaging for food as a recyclable and environmentally beneficial alternative to standard plastic containers. Chitosan can be used in active packaging supplies that interact with foods to extend quality and longevity by generating antibiotics. The growing consumer desire for pure and nutritious food components fuels interest in chitin as an all-natural preserver and nutritional complement. Government rules encouraging the use of biodegradable and sustainable materials in food packaging contribute to the expansion of chitosan uses in this industry.