Plant-based hydrocolloids as functional and sustainable alternatives to gelatin in food systems: Sources, properties, applications, and critical challenges

Nowadays, gelatin is widely used in the food industry for various applications, but due to ethical, religious, and sustainability concerns, there has been increasing research on its alternatives. In this regard, plant-based hydrocolloids have emerged as promising biopolymer alternatives to gelatin. These hydrocolloids have a renewable origin, functional versatility, and favorable rheological properties, so they are suitable for performing the role of gelatin. In the present study, a complete and comprehensive review of the main hydrocolloids derived from plant sources such as pectin, carrageenan, agar, alginate, guar, and konjac has been carried out. These hydrocolloids have been studied in terms of structural characteristics, technical-functional roles, and applications. Comparative evaluations of these hydrocolloids show their effectiveness as gelling, thickening, stabilizing, and film-forming agents. Also, analyses and evaluations of plant-based hydrocolloids in terms of sustainability, life cycle, carbon footprint, and biodegradability have shown positive and valuable results. Therefore, despite scalability and regulatory challenges, synergistic academic-industrial collaborations and bioengineering approaches are expected to establish plant-based hydrocolloids as suitable and versatile alternatives to gelatin in next-generation food applications.