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While it was believed that humans could not digest chitin for a long time, chitinase has recently been discovered in human gastric juice. So, humans can digest chitin. Other organisms like plants, fish, and other fungi can also digest chitin, although not all other organisms can.

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Is chitin necessary to digest shrimp tails?

Chitin is the hard substances that forms the outside of shrimp (and shrimp tails). So, you would have to digest that in order to digest the shrimp tail, because that's what it's made of. However, it's not the enzyme or other substance needed to digest the chitin.


Can glycogen be digest?

Glycogen can be digested by humans. Chitin and Cellulose, also knows as fiber, can not be digested by humans.


What makes chitin and cellulose edible?

They both are edible because they come from plants and animals. While Chitin and Cellulose are edible, they are very hard to digest. But they are filled with dietary fibers so they will enhance bowel movements.


Can you digest crab shells?

No, crab shells are primarily composed of chitin, a tough, indigestible substance that humans cannot break down. While some animals, like certain fish and insects, can digest chitin, humans lack the necessary enzymes to process it. As a result, crab shells are not digestible and should not be consumed. However, they can be used to create chitin-derived products or as compost in gardening.


What makes chitin edible?

Chitin is a polysaccharide (a polymer of certain types of sugar), and, in this case, is often used to form the exoskeletons of arthropods (such as insects and crustaceans). However, as with cellulose, humans do not possess the enzymes necessary to breakdown these polysaccharides. Thus, chitin and cellulose cannot be broken down by humans.


What is the name of the polysaccharide that is found in the cell walls of fungi and the exoskeletons of arthropods?

Chitin is the polysaccharide found in the cell walls of fungi and the exoskeletons of arthropods.


Do fish scales contain chitin?

Chitin


Is chitin a heteropolysaccharide?

Yes, chitin is a heteropolysaccharide.


Is cellulose indigestible?

Yes, it is. Though some animals such as termites can digest cellulose, we humans can't. Cellulose is the thing that gives plants their structural integrity. Contrary to some other polysaccharides like starch, it is connected through b-bonds. Only certain bacteria can break those bonds to digest the polymer, and humans don't have these bacteria. Another indigestible polysaccharide is Chitin. The shells of crabs and lobsters are made of Chitin, among other things.


From what language do you get the word chitin?

"chitin" comes from the French word "chitine", meaning the same substance, chitin.


What is a complex carbohydrate found in the cell walls of fungi and in insect exoskeletons called?

Chitin.


Which carbohydrate is found in the exoskeleton of insects and crabs?

chitin