Preparation of a photodynamic-enhanced antibacterial electrospun polymer nanofiber membrane loaded with natural photosensitizers for fruit preservation

Active antibacterial packaging plays a significant role in addressing the food safety issues caused by pathogen contamination. In this study, quercetin (QCT) encapsulated in liposomes (QCT@LIPs) was embedded into the konjac glucomannan/ polycaprolactone (KGM/PCL) matrix to fabricate a photodynamic antibacterial electrospun nanofiber film (QCT@LIPs/KGM/PCL) for application in fruit preservation. Compared to QCT, QCT@LIPs exhibited a more favorable spherical morphology, smaller particle size, and a more negative zeta potential, which collectively enhanced their stability. Additionally, QCT@LIPs/KGM/PCL demonstrated excellent mechanical, hydrophobicity, barrier, biodegradability properties, and controlled sustained release capabilities. Under blue light irradiation, QCT@LIPs/KGM/PCL generated reactive oxygen species (ROS), achieving >90% inhibition rates against Staphylococcus aureus ( S.aureus ) and Escherichia coli ( E.coli ). The films effectively suppressed microbial growth during fruit storage, minimizing the loss of weight, hardness, and soluble solid content (TSS). These results highlight QCT@LIPs/KGM/PCL as a multifunctional, eco-friendly packaging systems that integrates photodynamic antimicrobial activity with sustained release, offering significant promise for advanced food preservation.