Emerging strategies for polysaccharide modification and functional enhancement in food systems

Polysaccharides, the most abundant natural biopolymers, exhibit outstanding biocompatibility and versatile functionality, making them valuable for applications in food, biomedicine and sustainable packaging. However, their native forms often suffer from limitations such as poor mechanical strength, thermal instability and rapid enzymatic degradation, which hinder broader industrial applications. This review critically examines recent advances in emerging modification techniques such as high-pressure processing, microwave treatment and cold plasma, etc., for enhancing the structural and functional properties of polysaccharides. Influence of modifications on rheological behavior, emulsification, hydrophobicity and gelation capacity were addressed, enabling advanced applications such as 3D-printing, plant-based meat structuring and controlled bioactive delivery. Special attention is given to green and sustainable modification strategies especially valorization of agri-food waste. Furthermore, the emerging role of artificial intelligence (AI) and molecular dynamics in predicting structure-function relationships are discussed, paving the way for data-driven design of polysaccharide-based materials. Despite these advancements, challenges remain in integrating modification techniques across disciplines and understanding their interactions within real food matrices. The unified framework addressing these challenges, emphasizing the need for scalable green technologies, life cycle assessments and AI-enabled digital twins are also proposed. This perspective positions modified polysaccharides as pivotal components of future clean label for multifunctional food systems, which are aligned well with circular bioeconomy goals.