Norwegian company Primex Ingredients ASA is poised to enter the US food market, after its ultra-pure form of Norwegian shrimp-derived chitosan, trademarked as ChitoClear, was Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the US FDA. ChitoClear may now be used in food and beverage products in the US.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


Chitosan is accredited with reducing blood pressure, cholesterol, and calories, and is marketed as both a food ingredient and a dietary supplement. It can also be used as a natural preservative in raw fish and meats; as a clarifying solution and odour remover in beverages and as a protective film for fruits and vegetables.


Sales Manager Thore Ivar Thorsen explained: “US manufacturers, especially those in the cereal and snack food industries, have shown great interest in including ChitoClear […and] the confirmed purity status of our ChitoClear allows us to offer manufacturers a “ChitoClear Inside” label on their packaging as a way of notifying their customers that only the highest quality chitosan is being used in what they are consuming.”


“Achieving GRAS status for ChitoClear distinguishes Primex from the rest of the chitosan industry, and is based specifically on Primex’ use of North Atlantic (Pandalus borealis) shrimp shells and a unique processing technology which produces a product with purity specifications that are unmatched in the market today. 


“It took us two years to compile the necessary scientific documentation and safety studies before an international panel of experts concluded to the FDA that ChitoClear was GRAS. We are very proud of this distinction.”

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact