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In the past few years, researchers have focused on improving the functional properties and qualities of food products. To this end, they have used crosslinking for enhancing the functional properties of proteins in the food products. Enzymatic or non-enzymatic crosslinking can be used to modify food proteins. Protein crosslinking is efficient in generating novel textures and developing product formulations, while also maintaining the desired texture and mouthfeel of food products. Enzymatic treatments using laccases, transglutaminases, peroxidases, and tyrosinases could help in designing meat replacement products, and developing non-dairy yoghurt and cheeses with good consistency. However, these catalytic mechanisms are accompanied by many technical issues that need to be overcome while developing complex food matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bananas are among the most produced and consumed fruit all over the world. However, a vast amount of banana biomass is generated because banana trees bear fruit only once in their lifetime. This massive amount of biomass waste is either disposed of in agricultural fields, combusted, or dumped at plantations, thus posing environmental concerns. Nanocellulose (NC) extraction from this source can be one approach to improve the value of banana biomass. Owing to its superb properties, such as high surface area and aspect ratio, good tensile strength, and high thermal stability, this has facilitated nanocellulose application in the food industry either as a functional ingredient, an additive or in food packaging. In this review, two different applications of banana biomass NC were identified: (i) food packaging and (ii) food stabilizers. Relevant publications were reviewed, focusing on the nanocellulose extraction from several banana biomass applications as food additives, as well as on the safety and regulatory aspects. Ultimately, further research is required to prompt a perspicuous conclusion about banana biomass NC safety, its potential hazards in food applications, as well as its validated standards for future commercialization., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)