Collagen: A Versatile Protein for Enhancing Food Quality and Nutrition

Collagen is a type of protein abundant in animals that possesses a unique and complex structure.The relationship among the type of collagen, its structure and function are key factor in understanding its versatility in different fields such as engineering, biomedical, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries, thus, highlighting the adaptable nature of this widespread protein.In this context, for food products, collagen provides various technological functional properties such as thickening, gelling or water binding agents, among others; but recent applications focus on the development of functional foods.Meanwhile, hydrolyzed collagen, with greater digestibility and bioavailability, could fortify diverse types of processed foods to increase their nutritional value in the daily diet, benefiting the health of vulnerable groups at risk of malnutrition.Thus, this minireview focuses collagen, its sources, types of structures and its applications for the development of food products.