As interest grows in sustainable, plant-based alternatives to synthetic materials, sorghum’s seed storage protein, kafirin, is gaining recognition not just for its agronomic relevance but also for its remarkable biomaterial properties. Once considered a low-value byproduct of sorghum processing, kafirin is now being explored as a key ingredient in high-performance bioplastics, nanomaterials, and drug delivery systems.
Recent advances in kafirin research suggest major opportunities for sorghum breeders, bioproduct developers, and sustainability-focused researchers. This blog post summarizes six cutting-edge studies highlighting the growing potential of kafirin in applied science and biotechnology.
Kafirin, Zein, and Gluten Bioplastics: Challenges and Biomedical Promise
In a broad review of prolamin-based bioplastics, Taylor et al. (2013) underscore that the complex structure of prolamins—including kafirin—makes them difficult to process but also uniquely valuable for biomedical applications. Although kafirin’s hydrophobicity and water sensitivity hinder its mechanical performance as a plastic, its biodegradability and compatibility with living tissues make it attractive for medical applications like scaffolds and drug carriers. The authors highlight the importance of controlling intermolecular interactions—especially disulfide bonding—for achieving functional materials.
📄 Taylor, J. et al. (2013). Developments in the science of zein, kafirin, and gluten protein bioplastic materials.
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Electrosprayed Kafirin Nanocapsules for Fish Oil Delivery
In a study focused on food-grade encapsulation, Cetinkaya et al. (2021) demonstrate the successful use of kafirin-based nanocapsules to deliver fish oil using electrospraying. The process yielded high encapsulation efficiency (~94%) and consistent particle sizes, regardless of voltage or flow rate. These results show that kafirin can serve as a hydrophobic shell material for sensitive lipids, offering a new route for incorporating omega-3s and other functional oils into fortified foods.
📄 Cetinkaya et al. (2021). Development of kafirin-based nanocapsules by electrospraying for encapsulation of fish oil.
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A Comprehensive Review of Kafirin for Biomaterial Applications
A recent review by Shah et al. (2024) offers a deep dive into the extraction methods, structural characteristics, and material properties of kafirin, especially from sorghum dried distillers’ grain with solubles (DDGS). The authors argue that the unique features of kafirin—its water insolubility, elongated molecular conformation, and poor digestibility—make it well-suited for industrial and biomedical use. They call for more detailed structural analyses of kafirin itself, rather than relying on analogies to maize zein.
📄Shah, U., et al. (2024). Advances in Extraction, Structure, and Physiochemical Properties of Sorghum Kafirin for Biomaterial Applications: A Review.
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Targeted Drug Delivery Using Kafirin Nanoparticles
Kafirin’s potential in cancer therapy is illustrated by Petchimuthu et al. (2025), who engineered corosolic acid-loaded kafirin nanoparticles (CA-Kaf NPs) for breast cancer treatment. These nanoparticles released the drug preferentially at acidic pH (mimicking the tumor environment), induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, and generated reactive oxygen species that disrupted mitochondrial function. This study positions kafirin as a natural and effective nanocarrier for hydrophobic therapeutic agents.
📄 Petchimuthu, P., et al. (2025). Sorghum Grain-Derived Kafirin Nanoparticles For Effective Delivery of Corosolic Acid into Breast Cancer Cells for Potential Treatment of Breast Cancer.
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Artificial Fibers from Sorghum Distillers Grains: A Green Approach
In one of the most industrially promising studies, Shao et al. (2024) report the first successful production of wet-spun protein fibers from sorghum distillers grains using a fully aqueous system. The process includes both kafirin and glutelin proteins, offering a more complete valorization of DDGS. The resulting fibers exhibit superior mechanical performance to soy or keratin fibers and rival wool when crosslinked with a small amount of a sucrose-derived aldehyde. This green technology could significantly boost the value of sorghum coproducts in the fiber industry.
📄 Shao, Y., et al. (2024). A green and sustainable technology for the development of artificial protein fibers from sorghum distillers grains for industrialization.
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Electrospun Kafirin Nanofiber Mats for Antimicrobial Packaging
Finally, a study by Higashiyama et al. (2021) demonstrates that electrospun kafirin nanofiber mats loaded with thymol and carvacrol could be used in food packaging. Using a binary solvent system and double-purified kafirin, they fabricated nanofibers with excellent morphology and mechanical strength. The fibers effectively incorporated natural antimicrobials, and their surface properties varied with the compound used. This work highlights the utility of kafirin in eco-friendly, active packaging applications.
📄 Higashiyama, Y., et al. (2021). Fabrication of pristine electrospun kafirin nanofiber mats loaded with thymol and carvacrol.
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Implications for Sorghum Researchers and Breeders
These findings offer compelling evidence that sorghum’s value extends beyond the grain. For breeders, this could mean selecting for grain protein profiles tailored to biomaterial uses, especially kafirin content and structure. For researchers, the opportunity lies in connecting plant genetics and materials science—exploring how genotype influences protein extractability, fiber formation, and bioplastic behavior.
As global industries seek renewable and biodegradable materials, sorghum—with its climate resilience, coproduct potential, and now, emerging biomaterials toolkit—is poised to lead.
References:
Cetinkaya T, Mendes AC, Jacobsen C, Ceylan Z, Chronakis IS, Bean SR, García-Moreno PJ. Development of kafirin-based nanocapsules by electrospraying for encapsulation of fish oil. LWT. 2021 Jan; 136 (2): 110297. doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2020.110297. Read more
Higashiyama Y, Turasan H, Cakmak M, Kokini J. Fabrication of pristine electrospun kafirin nanofiber mats loaded with thymol and carvacrol. J Mater Sci. 2021 Jan 11; 56: 7155. doi.org/10.1007/s10853-020-05663-7. Read more
Petchimuthu P, Kunjiappan S, Pandian SRK, Sankaranarayanan M, Sundar K. Sorghum Grain-Derived Kafirin Nanoparticles For Effective Delivery of Corosolic Acid into Breast Cancer Cells for Potential Treatment of Breast Cancer. J Clust Sci. 2025 Apr 4; 36 (81). doi.org/10.1007/s10876-025-02802-5. Read more
Shah U, Bhattarai R, Al-Salami H, Blanchard C, Johnson SK. Advances in Extraction, Structure, and Physiochemical Properties of Sorghum Kafirin for Biomaterial Applications: A Review. J Funct Biomater. 2024 Jun 24;15(7):172. doi: 10.3390/jfb15070172. PMID: 39057294; PMCID: PMC11278494. Read more
Shao Y, Mu B, Xu L, Yang Y. A green and sustainable technology for the development of artificial protein fibers from sorghum distillers grains for industrialization. Chem Eng J. 2024 Dec 15; 502: 157853. doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2024.157853. Read more
Taylor J, Anyango JO, Taylor JRN. Developments in the Science of Zein, Kafirin, and Gluten Protein Bioplastic Materials. Cereal Chemistry. 2013 Jul 30; 90(4):344. doi.org/10.1094/CCHEM-12-12-0165-IA. Read more