In recent years, polymer gels have been been increasingly applied in food science and biomedicine fields. Proteins are nontoxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible; thus, they have become popular materials for building natural gel networks. Zein, a membrane-forming protein from maize, has been used to construct gel networks. Indeed, due to its unique film-forming properties, zein has been combined with other substances to form gel networks for the encapsulation and delivery of active substances or wound dressings, depending on the designs and/or modifications of researchers. Here, the research progress in the construction of three kinds of zein gel networks is reviewed, and their performance over the past five years is evaluated, with methods characterized, mechanism analyzed, application examples provided, and the potential value of this gel-based discussed. Additionally, prospects for the future development and application of zein-based gel networks are highlighted.

近年来，聚合物凝胶越来越多地应用于食品科学和生物医学领域。蛋白质无毒、可生物降解且具有生物相容性；因此，它们已成为构建天然凝胶网络的流行材料。玉米蛋白是一种来自玉米的成膜蛋白，已被用于构建凝胶网络。事实上，由于其独特的成膜特性，玉米醇溶蛋白已与其他物质结合形成凝胶网络，用于封装和递送活性物质或伤口敷料，具体取决于研究人员的设计和/或修改。本文回顾了三种玉米醇溶蛋白凝胶网络构建的研究进展，并对其近五年的表现进行了评价，并提供了方法特征、机理分析、应用实例，并讨论了这种基于凝胶的潜在价值。此外，还强调了基于玉米醇溶蛋白的凝胶网络的未来发展和应用前景。