LAUSR

Hydrogels are important materials that are of high scientific interest with numerous applications. Natural polymer-based hydrogels are preferred to synthetic ones due to their safety, biocompatibility, and ecofriendly properties. They have been extensively studied and implemented in various fields, such as medicine, cosmetics, personal care products, water purification, and more. This review focuses on the applications of nature-sourced polymer-based hydrogels in food and agriculture. Different types of biopolymers and crosslinking agents, and various methods for hydrogel formation are described. In addition, the physicomechanical properties and applied activities of the resulting materials are comprehensively discussed. Biodegradable synthetic polymers are outside the scope of this review. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.