Chitin analysis: why this parameter is becoming increasingly important

27 Mar 2026

The insect industry is growing rapidly. Insect meal, insect oil, and frass are increasingly finding their way into animal feed, pet food, and aquafeed. However, this protein transition also brings new analytical challenges. One of the most important is chitin. Harald Dahlmans, Senior Product Developer at NutriControl, explains why chitin analysis is being requested more frequently and what this means for the interpretation of protein and crude fiber results.

Harald, to start: what exactly is chitin?

Chitin is a polysaccharide, a natural biopolymer that occurs in the exoskeleton of arthropods such as insects, as well as in the cell walls of fungi. It provides strength and structure, for example in the outer shell of insects. Chemically, chitin is very similar to cellulose, but the key difference is that chitin contains a nitrogen-containing group. That detail is particularly relevant from an analytical perspective.

Why has chitin become such an important parameter within the insect industry?

This is mainly related to the way protein is often determined. In many cases, protein determination is based on nitrogen analysis using a conversion factor. Because chitin contains nitrogen, this nitrogen can unintentionally be counted as “protein.” As a result, you may overestimate the protein content, even though chitin itself is not a protein.

What is the risk if chitin is not considered when interpreting protein results?

The main risk is that you assume your product contains more protein than it actually does. This can affect product specifications, batch comparisons, and communication within the supply chain. Especially in sectors where protein content is an important sales or quality parameter, it is essential to have control over this.

Can chitin also influence other nutritional parameters, such as crude fiber?

Yes, we see that as well. In insects, chitin can end up in the crude fiber fraction. Crude fiber is traditionally a parameter determined mainly for plant-based products, but with insects this is different. You are not only measuring what was present in the insect’s digestive tract, but also the contribution of chitin from the exoskeleton. It is therefore important to clearly understand what exactly you are measuring and how to interpret the results.

Harald Dahlmans Senior Product Developer

These are exactly the parties that require reliable nutritional data and consistent product specifications.

In which products or streams do you see the largest differences in chitin content?

There is significant variation. For example, you see differences between whole insects and the residual streams they leave behind, such as frass. Frass is the excrement of insect larvae, such as the black soldier fly, and is used as a sustainable organic fertilizer. Chitin levels in frass are generally lower than in insect meal or whole insects, as there is less exoskeleton material present.

How large can the variation be between batches?

This strongly depends on the type of product and, above all, on sampling. In insect-based products, the ratio between the outer structure and the internal content can vary. The outer structure contains relatively high levels of chitin, while the internal content contains more protein. If your sample is not representative, it can quickly lead to a distorted view. That is why we always say: everything depends on proper sampling.

Can you use chitin analysis to “correct” the protein content?

We report the chitin content as a separate parameter. This allows a quality manager to determine what it means for the interpretation of the protein result. In theory, you can account for the contribution of chitin to the nitrogen content to gain a more accurate understanding of the actual protein level, but how this is applied depends on the customer and supply chain agreements.

For which sectors is this method most relevant?

The method is particularly relevant for insect farming and the surrounding value chain. This includes pet food, aquafeed, animal feed producers, and processors of insect meal. These are exactly the parties that require reliable nutritional data and consistent product specifications.

Is the method suitable for all matrices, such as fungi or algae?

No, at this stage the method is mainly suitable for insect matrices. For fungi, yeasts, and algae, this approach is not yet applicable. This is due to differences in matrix composition and the way chitin is present in these products.

How did you validate the method?

We used a highly purified chitin standard derived from shrimp, purified to approximately 99%. By adding this standard in known percentages during sample preparation, we were able to demonstrate that the added chitin content could be accurately recovered. This shows that no losses occur during the process, as that would otherwise lead to underestimation.

Are there proficiency tests or accreditation options for chitin?

At present, there are no proficiency tests available, simply because chitin analysis is still offered only on a limited scale in the market. As a result, there is not yet a standard route toward accreditation via interlaboratory testing. That said, we have internally validated the method and documented its performance characteristics.

What is the turnaround time and what are the sampling requirements?

The standard turnaround time is 20 working days. For urgent requests, customers can contact our customer service to explore available options. Regarding sampling: wet raw materials should be delivered refrigerated, while dry meals can be submitted at room temperature. Most importantly, ensure that the sample is representative of the batch.

Why should producers start using chitin analysis now?

Because it helps you better understand what you are measuring. Insects are a promising protein source, but they require a different perspective on nutritional parameters. Chitin analysis prevents incorrect conclusions based on protein results and provides greater control over batch consistency and product specifications.