Collagen as a sustainable multifunctional protein: Sources, extraction strategies, applications, and future perspectives in food, cosmetic, and biomedical fields

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Collagen, a major structural protein in terrestrial and marine animals, provides mechanical support and maintains tissue integrity. It exhibits diverse structures, with over 28 types identified, each contributing to specific tissues and biological functions. Sustainable sources, including by-products from meat and seafood processing, as well as microbial systems, enable efficient valorization of otherwise underutilized biomass. Various extraction techniques, ranging from traditional chemical and enzymatic methods to emerging physical approaches, allow the recovery of collagen and its derivatives, such as gelatin and bioactive peptides. Collagen and its hydrolysates have wide-ranging applications across food, cosmetics, and biomedical industries due to their functional, nutritional, and therapeutic properties. In food, collagen enhances texture, water retention, and nutritional quality; in cosmetics, it improves skin hydration, elasticity, and hair and nail health; and in biomedical applications, collagen-based materials support wound healing, tissue regeneration, and drug delivery. This review provides a comprehensive overview of collagen’s structural diversity, sources, extraction strategies, and multifunctional applications, emphasizing current advancements, sustainability, and future perspectives for its industrial and therapeutic use.