Casein-based hydrogels: A mini-review

Casein-based hydrogels are biocompatible, biodegradable, renewable, easy to obtain, inexpensive, and nontoxic. They exist in different physicochemical states, e.g. particle hydrogels, which can be dived in suspensions or emulsions and macro hydrogels that are gel colloid type. These biomaterials have drawn increasing attention in recent years due to their abilities to form networks of different tensile strengths and to encapsulate, protect and release biomolecules. This mini-review outlines the recent advances in casein-based hydrogel research and the uses of casein-based hydrogels as drug delivery system for both hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules. The food and biomedical potential along with possible future uses of the casein-based hydrogels are discussed throughout the document.