TIGMAK
About
Tigmak is researching the utilisation of marine waste resulting from fish processing in Europe - in particular squid. Engaging with scientists at Imperial College London, Tigmak's research focus is the extraction of β-chitin from squid pens, and the preparation of the biopolymer Chitosan.
β-chitin is obtained from squid pens, which are usually discarded in the processing of squid for human consumption.
TIGMAK Squid Pens
Watch the video below to see how squid pens are harvested from marine waste and cleaned in food processing facilities in Europe.
What is Chitosan
Chitosan is a natural polymer made from chitin, a polysaccharide not dissimilar to cellulose, which is commonly obtained from shrimp, crab, and squid.
Once processed, chitin yields Chitosan, a non-toxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible polymer, making it a scientifically and commercially significant product, with a number of highly specialist pharmaceutical applications.
Chitosan Applications and Scientific Developments
Applications of Chitosan vary, from fertilisers to stem cell scaffolds, and depend on the quality and purity of the Chitosan polymer.
Chitosan has been a focus of research and industry for some years, with pharmaceutical grade Chitosan increasingly being used in the synthesis of next generation medicines.
Sourcing of β-Chitin
β-chitin extracted from wild squid is most suitable when harvested in fishing waters with the lowest toxicity levels, in particular low bio-accumulations of contaminants such as lead, mercury or cadmium.
Fishing waters
Squid pens are harvested during the process of seafood cleaning in the food industry in Europe, and would otherwise be discarded.
North Atlantic
Southwest Atlantic
News & Articles
Chitin, chitosan and healthcare
15 January 2017
Chitosan, and Tigmak in particular, recently featured in Health Investor magazine. This article discusses the various current uses of chitosan as well as future potential specifically in healthcare including the promising advances in biomedical devices and tissue scaffolds.
Contact
office@tigmak.com +44 (0) 755 39 67 660
London
United Kingdom
Pharmaceutical grade Chitosan is ustilised in wound healing treatments, implant coating, gene and stem cell delivery systems, drug delivery systems, tissue engineering, 3D cell culture scaffolds, biodegradable scaffolds, and electrospun nanomaterials.