Closing the Loop with Keratin-Rich Fibrous Materials

One of the agro-industry’s side streams that is widely met is the-keratin rich fibrous material that is becoming a waste product without valorization. Its management as a waste is costly, as the incineration of this type of waste constitutes high environmental concern. Considering these facts, the keratin-rich waste can be considered as a treasure for the producers interested in the valorization of such slowly-biodegradable by-products. As keratin is a protein that needs harsh conditions for its degradation, and that in most of the cases its constitutive amino acids are destroyed, we review new extraction methods that are eco-friendly and cost-effective. The chemical and enzymatic extractions of keratin are compared and the optimization of the extraction conditions at the lab scale is considered. In this study, there are also considered the potential applications of the extracted keratin as well as the reuse of the by-products obtained during the extraction processes.