Design strategies and applications of konjac glucomannan-based functional composites: A review

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is a natural polysaccharide with unique physicochemical properties. Due to its excellent gel-forming ability, film-forming capacity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, KGM exhibits wide applications in diverse areas, such as food engineering, medicine, and environmental protection. However, neat KGM-based materials suffer from insufficient mechanical strength and poor environmental stability, necessitating composite material design to overcome these performance bottlenecks. This review systematically summarizes the recent advances in KGM-based functional composites, mainly focusing on the design strategies for high-performance KGM-based composites. Key approaches include molecular modification, multi-component compounding, and structural design, along with their mechanisms in regulating material properties. Additionally, the latest application progress in various fields is discussed. This review provides valuable insights for the development of high-performance KGM-based functional materials.