Comparative Analysis of Highly Purified Sericin and Waste-Derived Sericin: Implications for Biomedical Applications

Sericin, a natural glycoprotein constituting 20-30% of the silk cocoon, has emerged as a promising biomaterial due to its excellent biological properties, including biocompatibility, antioxidant properties and potential applications in regenerative medicine. The quality and the features of sericin are strongly dependent on the extraction and purification methods, which can employ mild conditions to preserve the molecular integrity of the protein or recovery techniques from waste streams produced during the industrial degumming processes. The silk industry prioritizes fiber yield over protein preservation, so often harsh alkaline conditions at high temperatures are adopted. These divergent approaches result in fundamentally different products with distinct molecular characteristics and functional capabilities. This review comprehensively examines the current technological approaches for sericin extraction techniques and for its recovery from textile industry waste, focusing on how these aspects affect the biological properties of the protein and the potential applications.