Plant-based protein amyloid fibrils: Origins, formation, extraction, applications, and safety

Amyloid fibrils (AFs) are highly ordered nanostructures formed through the self-assembly of proteins under specific conditions. Due to their unique properties, AFs have garnered significant attention as biomaterials over the past decade. Nevertheless, the increasing reliance on animal proteins for AFs production raises sustainability concerns, highlighting the need for a transition to plant-based proteins as more environmentally friendly feedstocks. This review summarizes the conditions, mechanisms, and factors influencing the fibrillisation of over 20 plant-based protein amyloid fibrils (PAFs). The effectiveness of enzymatic extraction and membrane separation for isolating PAFs was also evaluated. Additionally, the review discusses the potential for enhancing PAFs' suitability through cross-linking with external agents. In the future, PAFs may be developed as advanced nanomaterials for a range of applications, including food hydrogels, cell-cultured meat scaffolds, and food detection sensors. However, thorough investigation of safety concerns and process improvements remain the primary challenges for the development of PAFs.