N-[C-13=O]ACETYLCHITOSAN AND ITS DIGESTIBILITY BY SILKWORMS

N-[C-13=O]Acetylchitosan was prepared by treating chitosan with a mixture of acetic anhydride and [C-13=O]acetic anhydride in an aqueous acetic acid-methanol solution. On feeding silkworms (Bombyx mori) with this at the fifth instar, the apparent digestibility of the N-[C-13=O]acetylchitosan was 21%. The major proportion of the fed C-13 was secreted in the faeces, a little was detected in the exuviae and cocoons.