Australasia to Approve Chitosan Extracted from Shiitake Mushrooms as a Food Processing Aid

On 12 August 2024, Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) published a notice No. 299-24 containing Application No. A1306. The purpose of the application is to approve the use of Chitosan, which is extracted from bispora mushrooms, as a processing aid.

Chitosan is a linear polysaccharide composed of β-1, 4-linked D-glucosamine units, which has excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. As a kind of natural, non-toxic and harmless polysaccharide, chitosan can be metabolized and degraded by human body. It also shows good adsorption, film formation, moisture and other characteristics, so it has a wide range of applications in food, medicine, cosmetics and other fields.

In addition, chitosan also has significant antibacterial and antioxidant properties, making it an ideal preservative and antioxidant for food and pharmaceuticals. In acidic environments, chitosan shows excellent solubility and adhesion, which provides convenience for its application in various acidic foods and beverages. As a multi-functional natural polymer compound, chitosan is gradually replacing synthetic chemicals and becoming an environmentally friendly green raw material. With the continuous progress of science and technology, the application prospect of chitosan is becoming more and more broad.

According to the notice, chitosan will mainly be used in the production of wine, beer, cider, spirits and other alcoholic beverages. As a kind of natural polysaccharide with wide application prospect, chitosan has been widely used not only in food industry, but also in medicine, cosmetics and other fields.

Food Standards Australia's approval provides the industry with a new natural processing aid option to help improve product quality and meet the growing consumer demand for green, natural and healthy food. We believe that this initiative will inject new vitality into the food industry in Australia and New Zealand."