Background. The shifts in global eating patterns towards greater consumption of protein-based foods encourages research to recover protein from sustainable sources and valorization of existing proteins. However, some proteins show poor functionalities in food systems. The application of alkaline-aided treatments to modify these proteins for converting them into functional ingredients has attracted prominent interest. A review on this subject is of demanding to fill the knowledge gap in exploiting the benefits of the alkaline-aided treatments. Scope and approach. This review studied the recent developments in alkaline-mediated treatments for extraction and functional modification of proteins. The most important parameters in alkaline-assisted extraction of proteins from animal and plant sources were surveyed. The combination of alkaline-assisted extraction with other technologies was investigated. The effects of the alkaline-mediated treatment alone or in combination with other novel technologies for the functional modification of proteins and their co-assembling to produce soluble hybrid proteins are reviewed. Finally, the electro-activation approach as a reagentless technology for generation in place alkaline medium and its applications in the extraction and functional modification of protein is discussed. Key findings and conclusions. This review reveals that alkaline medium, particularly when combined with other treatments such as heating and ultrasound, can significantly affect the conformation and structure of protein due to their irreversible unfolding, leading to significant enhancement of their solubility, emulsifying, foaming, gelation, and bioactive compound binding properties. Furthermore, alkaline treatment can be used for co-assembling a low soluble compact protein with a highly soluble protein, leading to the fabrication of the soluble hybrid nanoparticles through structural interactions. It is evident from the findings that a combination of novel techniques is proven to be more efficient for protein recovery and functional modification of proteins, so innovating combination of the novel technologies with alkaline treatments can be interesting topics to help to decipher the key challenges faced by food processing industries to valorize the food protein resources. •Alkali-aided treatments to extract and modify proteins are outlined in the review.•Protein yield and functionality are influenced by pH levels used during extraction.•Novel techniques assisted-alkaline extraction can increase protein extractability and improve their functionality.•Alkaline-induced hybridization can fabricate highly soluble and function proteins.•Electro-activation as a reagentless method to generate in place alkaline medium discussed.