The application of the nanofiber film in the field of food preservation was an emerging research direction in recent years. With the functionalization of nanofibers, the quality and safety of food can be better guaranteed. In the present work, thymol as an antibacterial agent was encapsulated into poly(lactide- co-glycolide) to form core-shell nanofibers by coaxial electrospinning. With such a core-shell nanofiber film, thymol can be slowly released to headspace between food and the nanofiber film, inhibiting the growth of bacteria on the surface of food. The morphology and core-shell structure of nanofibers were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The antibacterial and fruit preservation abilities of the nanofiber film were tested on strawberries. Studies have shown that it can effectively inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungi, and yeast and extend the shelf life of fruit. This novel antibacterial packaging material with excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and good sustained release performance would have a broad application prospect in the field of food preservation.
Keywords: PLGA; coaxial eletrospinning; fruit preservation; thymol.