This review highlights phenugreek mucilage's polysaccharide structure and environmental remediation benefits, suggesting potential in food and biopolymer applications.
A polysaccharide-based biopolymer from Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (fenugreek) seeds has attracted growing attention owing to its high degree of galactose substitution and abundance of hydroxyl groups, which distinguish it from many conventional hydrocolloids. In the food industry, fenugreek seed mucilage (FSM) is used to enhance juiciness, improve moisture retention, and extend shelf life, thereby maintaining product quality. In clean-label formulations, FSM serves as a natural thickener, stabilizer, and edible film former while also imparting pharmacological benefits such as hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities in functional foods. Beyond food applications, FSM serves as an eco-friendly clarifier in jaggery production, contributing to environmental remediation by reducing turbidity and aiding in the treatment of sewage and tannery effluents. Its sustainable potential extends further into green coagulation–flocculation processes, biodegradable films, and nanoparticle synthesis. The review systematically highlights FSM's structural and physicochemical attributes, optimization strategies, and expanding role in sustainable food and material sciences.
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Urooj et al. (2025) studied this question.