An insight into Iranian natural hydrocolloids: Applications and challenges in health-promoting foods*

A country's indigenous resources are always considered part of its fortune and wealth. With appropriate geographical conditions, Iran has exceptional marine and plant products, some of which have worthy healthpromoting and technological properties. This paper gives an overview of Iranian plant-based hydrocolloids including Basil, Balangou, Sage, Cress, Quince, Qodume Shirazi, and Qodume Shahri seed gums and Persian and Tragacanth gum exudates, from the standpoint of the possibility to produce health-promoting food products. The potential of these sources for the production of healthy food formulation, including their physicochemical characteristics, their therapeutic effects, and their technological applications, as well as the suggestions for challenges faced by their commercialization have comprehensively been presented. The scientific studies between 2012 and 2022 have been covered in this article.