Characterization of insect chitosan films from Tenebrio molitor and Brachystola magna and its comparison with commercial chitosan of different molecular weights.

Insects are considered as alternative sources of chitosan; however, studies about the functional film-forming properties of insect chitosan are scarce. Insect chitosan films were made from Tenebrio molitor and Brachystola magna and were compared with commercial chitosan of different molecular weights (M). Mechanical properties (tensile strength, TS; elastic modulus, EM; elongation at break, %E), water vapor permeability (WVP) and physicochemical properties were characterized.