Tannic acid cross-linked Poly(lactic-co-caprolactone/Gelatin electrospun nanofibrous membranes for blueberry preservation

Due to the huge waste caused by fruit mildew during transportation and storage, there is an urgent need to develop novel packing materials with antibacterial and degradable properties. Herein, poly(lactic-co-caprolactone)/Gelatin/Tannic acid (PLCL/GEL/TA) membranes were fabricated by electrospinning of PLCL and GEL to obtain PLCL/GEL membranes, followed by cross-linking with TA. The microstructures of PLCL/GEL/TA membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The mechanical and wetting properties were evaluated by Instron universal material testing and Drop shape analysis system, respectively. The antibacterial and antioxidant properties were determined. The preservation properties of the membranes were evaluated using blueberry as a model fruit. The results showed that smooth and uniform microstructure was formed on all electrospun membranes. The PLCL/GEL/TA membranes exhibited enhanced mechanical property, wettability, biodegradability, antioxidant and antibacterial properties, when compared to PLCL/GEL membranes without TA treatment. In addition, these increased properties showed positive correlation with TA content. Besides, TA was slowly released from the PLCL/GEL/TA membranes, in a controlled and sustained manner. Moreover, the cytotoxicity assays confirmed the non-toxic nature of these membranes. Finally, the PLCL/GEL/TA membranes effectively inhibited decay degree, weight loss, and extended the shelf life of blueberries. Overall, the antioxidant, antibacterial, biodegradable and biocompatible PLCL/GEL/TA membranes exhibited remarkable preservation performance, demonstrating significant potential as novel packing materials.