Multifunctional CuTax nanozyme-based chitosan edible coatings for fruit preservation

The preservation of fresh fruits is critically challenged by oxidative degradation and microbial contamination, which lead to quality deterioration and reduced shelf life. In this study, we took advantage of the multiple benefits of Taxfolin (Tax) and copper to develop CuTax nanozymes, and which were showed to have excellent free radical scavenging ability, as evidenced by 90.3 % ± 0.2 % DPPH and 85.61 % ± 0.08 % ABTS free radical scavenging rates. Additionally, the CuTax exhibited peroxidase-like (POD-like) activity and effective glutathione (GSH) depletion. Moreover, the CuTax were found to effectively suppress the colony formation of E. coli and S. aureus , reduce bacterial viability, and disrupt bacterial structures. Ultimately, a CuTax/CS composite coating/films for food preservation was successfully developed using chitosan (CS) as a carrier and the protective efficacy against food spoilage was evaluated using bananas and apples as representative fruits. These findings suggest that CuTax/CS composite coatings offer a multifunctional approach to active food packaging that effectively extend the shelf life and preserve the quality of fresh fruits.