Potential of food and agricultural wastes as sustainable medical materials for neural tissue engineering

For decades, various types of biomaterials have been developed and used for neural tissue repair and regeneration. Due to the current socioeconomic framework that requires emerging concepts and solutions to tackle the global population challenges, circular bioeconomy is warranted. Owing to their outstanding biocompatibility, biodegradability, and functionality, natural biopolymers upcycled from food and agricultural wastes for neural engineering applications could be a novel approach toward a sustainable future. Utilizing waste materials increases the availability of sources while reducing waste and manufacturing costs, thereby contributing to environmental sustainability. Thus, this review provides an overview of biopolymers derived from food and agricultural wastes for neural engineering applications in order to give insights into further exploiting these materials to expand benefits for humanity.