Inulin-based hydrogel

Abstract Inulin is a natural polysaccharide obtained from various types of natural resources such as chicory, dahlia, and artichoke and even from various fruits and vegetables such as garlic and onion. It is biocompatible, biodegradable, and nontoxic and, therefore, finds applications in various fields and industries such as food, pharmaceutical, or biomedical. Inulin or inulin derivatives have been cross-linked using various types of cross-linking agents or radiation to produce hydrogels that can absorb huge amounts of water, undergo swelling, have good mechanical strength, and produce controlled release properties. Such hydrogels have been used in several applications such as drug delivery or tissue engineering. Several research studies based on inulin hydrogels have been undertaken in the past few decades, which have promising results. In this chapter, we would discuss the various research findings based on inulin hydrogels.