<p>Recent research trends in glycation-based crosslinking technology are comprehensively examined as a strategy to overcome the structural and functional limitations of protein-based biomaterials. Glycation forms covalent crosslinked networks through non-enzymatic reactions between amino groups of proteins and carbonyl groups of reducing sugars, enabling improvements in mechanical strength, water stability, thermal stability, barrier properties, antioxidant activity, and antimicrobial functionality without the use of external chemical crosslinking agents. This review summarizes the major reaction parameters governing glycation, including pH, temperature, reaction time, water activity, sugar type, and sugar concentration, and discusses how these parameters affect crosslinking density and material performance. Representative applications, including films, adhesives, and hydrogels prepared from various polysaccharides and proteins, are systematically analyzed. Recent studies using emerging protein resources such as sericin and fibroin, as well as highly reactive reducing sugars such as fructose and xylose, are also reviewed, with emphasis on quantitative property enhancements and structure–property relationships. In addition, safety-guided optimization strategies for suppressing excessive advanced glycation end-product formation while maintaining sufficient crosslinking density are discussed. Finally, industrial challenges associated with continuous processing, scale-up, and process-window control are highlighted as key requirements for practical translation of glycation-based green composites.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>