Harnessing melanin as a marine natural product: a new perspective on food industry applications

Derived from the Greek word “melanos”, melanin is a biopolymer that can be extracted from various sources, including animals, plants, and microorganisms. Four types of melanin have been identified based on their color and synthesis pathway: (i) dark-brown to black allomelanin, (ii) black-brown eumelanin, (iii) dark-brown neuromelanin, and (iv) yellow to reddish-brown pheomelanin. Melanin is widely recognized as a photoprotective, antimicrobial, and antioxidant agent, and has gained increasing attention for its potential applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, environmental remediation , and food industries. The growing demand for healthier food products in the modern food industry has driven research and development in areas such as nutraceutical food ingredients, advanced packaging technologies, natural-based additives, and improved production technologies . Although several reviews have discussed various aspects of melanin, studies specifically focusing on melanin derived from animal sources and its applications in the food industry remain limited. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the extraction methods of melanin from animal sources and discuss its potential functions and applications in the food industry. These insights provide guidance for researchers in developing sustainable extraction and application strategies, support the industry in replacing synthetic additives with natural alternatives, and inform consumers about functional, health-promoting food innovations.