Waste to Wealth: Exploring the Versatile Prospects of Discarded Silk Sericin

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Biorefinery, the process of converting biomass to value-added materials, is gaining significant interest because of the depletion of natural resources and an increasing awareness of the need for sustainable development and material production. Silk sericin, an abundantly available byproduct of the sericulture industry, has been identified for biorefinery usage since it is biodegradable, bioavailable, pH and temperature-responsive, naturally photoluminescent, has antioxidant properties, and is a GRAS and FDA-safe food additive. This Perspective examines the properties of sericin and its sources and discusses currently explored applications, including as a delivery system for drugs or genetic material, for wound healing, tissue engineering, media supplements, cosmetology, packaging materials, edible coating, and as bio adhesives. This Perspective examines the sources of sericin, its properties, and some of the currently explored applications. These include biomedical applications such as a delivery system for drugs or genetic material, wound healing, tissue engineering, media supplements, cosmetology, packaging materials, edible coating, and as bio adhesives. Finally, we highlight the recent developments in sericin modification to functionalize it for specific applications; this is a promising future direction that will further enhance the potential use of this valuable biomass.