Multifunctional active packaging of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)/cellulose acetate electrospun film with curcumin and tannic acid

Functional nanofiber films were successfully fabricated through an electrospinning process by incorporating curcumin and tannic acid as active components. • The resulting PBAT/CA@Cur/TA films exhibited remarkable and sustained antioxidant and antibacterial performance. • These PBAT/CA films effectively protected strawberries from postharvest quality deterioration, thereby significantly extending their shelf life. Poly(butylene adipate- co -terephthalate) (PBAT) is a biodegradable polyester that has attracted considerable attention in food packaging applications due to its favorable mechanical performance and processability. However, PBAT films are not ideal for the loading and controlled release of active compounds, and their relatively high cost further limits their practical application. This study reports the fabrication of PBAT/cellulose acetate (CA) films by electrospinning, with the incorporation of curcumin (Cur) and tannic acid (TA) as natural bioactive agents to confer antimicrobial and antioxidant functionalities. The incorporation of Cur improved the mechanical performance of PBAT/CA films and imparted approximately 90% DPPH radical scavenging activity, while TA contributed antibacterial properties. Strawberry preservation experiments demonstrated that PBAT/CA@Cur/TA films, particularly those containing 12% Cur and TA, effectively prolonged fruit shelf life. At 4% and 8%, the scavenging efficiency reached approximately 91%. This preservation effect is attributed to the antioxidant action of Cur and the antimicrobial properties of TA. Based on the obtained results, the PBAT/CA films can be considered potential candidates for multifunctional active packaging. Download: Download high-res image (103KB) Download: Download full-size image