Effect of chemical treatment duration on physicochemical, rheological, and functional properties of colloidal chitin

•Colloidal chitin was prepared by chemical hydrolysis at ambient temperature.•Colloidal chitin had better functional properties with enhanced whiteness index.•Colloidal chitin exhibited poor flow properties as treatment duration increased.•Colloidal chitin suspensions showed rheo-thinning tendency.•Water holding capacity and oil binding capacity increased with treatment duration. In this study, the physicochemical, rheological, and functional properties of colloidal chitin prepared from commercial shrimp shell α-chitin by acid hydrolysis at ambient temperature for various treatment durations were investigated. With increasing treatment duration, the functional properties viz solubility, water and fat binding capacity, and emulsion capacity increased significantly (p