Multifunctional honeysuckle extract/attapulgite/chitosan composite films containing natural carbon dots for intelligent food packaging

In order to fulfill people's requirements for food quality and safety, it is a promising strategy to develop intelligent biodegradable food packaging materials. Herein, honeysuckle extracts/attapulgite/chitosan composite films containing natural carbon dots were fabricated for intelligent food packaging. Different characterization techniques were employed to study the obtained composite films, while the physicochemical properties, optical properties, antibacterial and antioxidant activities of composite films were determined. The obtained composite films presented good mechanical, antibacterial and antioxidant properties, and the antibacterial ratios of composite films against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were 99.27 ± 0.18 % and 98.85 ± 0.65 %, respectively. When the added amount of honeysuckle extracts/attapulgite nanocomposites was 4.76 %, the tensile strength and elongation at break of composite films reached 24.9 ± 2.35 MPa and 64.8 ± 2.11 %, respectively, which were obviously higher than that of pure chitosan film. Furthermore, the composite films exhibited excellent UV shielding and blue fluorescence properties, as well as pH-sensitivity due to the presence of caffeoquinic acid-based natural carbon dots derived from honeysuckle extract. Therefore, the composite films indicated a potential application for intelligent food packaging.