Recent advances on antimicrobial peptide and polysaccharide hydrogels

The three-dimensional structure and network that compose naturally or synthetically derived polymers, such as hydrogels, allow for a wide variety in customization of the biomaterial characteristics, thus resulting in various applications. In medical care, hydrogels formed by intrinsic or exogenous antimicrobial components can act as effective vehicles for the administration of drugs and bioactive compounds, as alternatives to traditional wound dressings, and as antimicrobial coatings on implanted medical devices. In food safety, hydrogels with antimicrobial properties are desirable as food spoilage inhibitors. There has been a recent heightened focus on naturally derived hydrogels, due to their cost effectiveness and lack of concern for toxicity, which enhance their potential for a variety of food and biomedical applications. This concise review focuses on the recent advances of naturally derived peptide and polysaccharide antimicrobial hydrogels in the biomedical and food industries.