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Chitooligosaccharides, the hydrolysates of chitosan, can be obtained by acid hydrolysis or enzymatic hydrolysis of chitosan. They may be obtained by enzymatic synthesis from low molecular weight chitooligosaccharides. Chitooligosaccharides have various functional properties such as precipitation formation with inorganic or organic compounds, antimicrobial action, immunopotentiating function, antitumor activity, promoting action of the growth of plants, and very low acute toxicity. So, chitooligosaccharides can be used in the food industry as functional food additives and antiplaquing agent, in the medical field as immunopotentiating agent and antitumor agent, and in the agriculture as immunopotentiating agent.
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