Food Packaging and Shelf Life最新文献

{"title":"Development of multifunctional polysaccharide/polyvinyl alcohol-based double layer packaging film incorporated with red cabbage anthocyanin and dialdehyde guar gum-proanthocyanidin conjugate","authors":"Fengfeng Xu,&nbsp;Bixue Sun,&nbsp;Dawei Yun,&nbsp;Yunlei Wu,&nbsp;Huimin Yong,&nbsp;Jun Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101811","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101811","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A double layer packaging film was developed by adding red cabbage anthocyanin (RCA) into agar/polyvinyl alcohol (AP) layer and dialdehyde guar gum-proanthocyanidin (DGG-PA) conjugate into quaternary ammonium chitosan<strong>/</strong>polyvinyl alcohol (QP) layer. The resulting film was grayish-brown in color and blocked over 60% of UV light. Interestingly, the film spontaneously rolled up toward the QP layer, forming a cylindrical tube with radius of 3.5 mm. This self-folding property enhanced the film's efficiency and convenience for food wrapping. The film had robust mechanical properties (tensile strength: 20.51 MPa, elongation at break: 46.45%) and appropriate hydrophilicity (moisture content: 12.99%, water solubility: 23.12%, swelling ratio: 361.83%, and water contact angles: 65.7° on QP side and 89.8° on AP side). The film also showed notable antioxidant activity (2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity: 1.14 μmol Trolox equivalent/g, 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical scavenging activity: 13.85 μmol Trolox equivalent/g) and antimicrobial efficacy against <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> (58.22%) and <em>Escherichia coli</em> (47.87%). Through the co-pigmentation effect of RCA and DGG-PA conjugate, the film exhibited pH-responsive color changes. In a practical test, the film extended the shelf life of minced pork to 12 days, during which its color shifted to greenish-brown upon spoilage, indicating its high potential as a smart packaging material.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 101811"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148569086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bilayer pH-responsive intelligent active packaging film based on gelatin/Na-doped rice bran carbon dots and chitosan/shikonin for real-time salmon freshness monitoring and preservation","authors":"Hongkai Xie,&nbsp;Yinlei Mao,&nbsp;Xinhao Wan,&nbsp;Hailu Liao,&nbsp;Chunhao An,&nbsp;Fengjiao Fan,&nbsp;Tao Zhang,&nbsp;Yinji Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101797","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101797","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aggregated carbon dots exhibit weak antibacterial and antioxidant activities, limiting their application in packaging systems. Metal doping is an effective strategy to enhance their performance. Herein, Na-doped rice bran carbon dots (Na-RBCDs) were synthesized hydrothermally from rice bran and NaOH. A pH-sensitive bilayer film was fabricated via layer-by-layer casting, comprising an outer gelatin layer containing Na-RBCDs and an inner chitosan layer loaded with shikonin for indication/sustained release. Optimal antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Na-RBCDs were achieved at a 10:1 rice bran/NaOH mass ratio, and they exhibited no cytotoxicity toward HaCaT cells below 2 mg/mL. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed their uniform dispersion within the film matrix, ensuring a smooth surface and strong interlayer adhesion. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis indicated that Na-RBCDs formed hydrogen bonds with the polymer matrix, thereby improving the film’s thermal stability. Incorporating 5% Na-RBCDs enhanced UV-blocking ability, hydrophilicity (water contact angle &gt;75°), and tensile strength (1.7-fold increase). The film demonstrated effective sustained release of both active components, alongside improved antioxidant, antibacterial, and pH-responsive colorimetric properties. When applied to refrigerated salmon, the film containing 5% Na-RBCDs extended the shelf life from 3 to 9 days by enhancing chemical and microbial stability. A pronounced color change was observed between days 9 and 12 (ΔE from 15.7 to 30.6), demonstrating its ability to monitor salmon freshness. This gelatin/chitosan-based intelligent active packaging system shows promising applicability for muscle food preservation and freshness monitoring. Further research is needed to establish a precise correlation between colorimetric response and specific spoilage indicators.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 101797"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148569580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"N-halamine-functionalized antibacterial pads as packaging materials for microbial control and food preservation","authors":"Jing Kang,&nbsp;Nan Du,&nbsp;Huimin Wu,&nbsp;Yang Li,&nbsp;Tianbin Li,&nbsp;Alideertu Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101805","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101805","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fresh meat is rich in nutrients and, compared to frozen meat, offers a more flavorful taste, making it a common ingredient in daily life. However, during storage, fresh meat exudes natural juices. The abundant moisture and nutrients in these juices promote microbial proliferation, thereby accelerating meat spoilage. Therefore, controlling microbial contamination during the storage, transportation, and preservation of fresh meat is particularly important. Among various antimicrobial materials, <em>N</em>-halamine-based antimicrobial materials have gained increasing research attention in recent years due to their excellent characteristics, such as broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and renewable functional groups. This study investigates the potential application of <em>N</em>-halamine polymers in antimicrobial packaging for fresh meat preservation. The results show that incorporating <em>N</em>-halamine antibacterial polymers (PAMPS-Cl) into absorbent pads exhibits outstanding antibacterial performance (sterilization rate&gt;99.99%). Subsequent application studies on fresh meat preservation indicate that <em>N</em>-halamine-based antimicrobial packaging materials can significantly reduce the total microbial count in fresh meat, thereby improving its sensory qualities. The shelf life of fresh meat can be extended to the 8th days at 4 °C, prolonging the shelf life compared to the group without preservation treatment, where the total bacterial count exceeded the microbiological limit for fresh meat between the 4th and 6th days. This highlights their considerable potential for research and practical application in the fields of fresh meat packaging and preservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 101805"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148569657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electrospun cellulose acetate fiber mats incorporating luteolin-cyclodextrin inclusion complex for active postharvest packaging","authors":"Nabab Khan,&nbsp;Neha Rana,&nbsp;Ankit Saneja","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101816","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101816","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents a cyclodextrin mediated approach for developing electrospun cellulose acetate (CA) fibrous mats (FM) incorporating a luteolin (LTN)/sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBE-β-CD) inclusion complex for active postharvest packaging. The complex significantly improved LTN solubility (∼62.5 - fold) with a high binding constant (K_b = 3186.90 M⁻¹), improving its dispersion and stability within the fibrous matrix. The structural analysis confirmed by ¹H NMR and 2D-NOESY spectroscopy, demonstrating host-guest interactions, while FTIR and PXRD analysis demonstrated successful encapsulation and amorphization of LTN. The electrospun CA/LTN-IC-FM exhibited uniform morphology with average diameter of 1.242 ± 0.237 µm and reduced porosity (12.13%) compared to pristine CA-FM (19.07%). The FM retained their hydrophobic characteristics (contact angle: 95.59 ° <em>vs.</em> 87.01 °) and demonstrated a higher swelling index (167.86%). The submicron fibers also exhibited UV-blocking capability, enzymatic biodegradation and improved antibacterial performance, reducing <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> from 3.98 × 10⁸ to 7.1 × 10⁷ CFU/mL compared to control and <em>Escherichia coli</em> from 3.65 × 10⁸ to 2.86 × 10⁸ CFU/mL compared to CA-FM. The application studies on grapes and fresh cut cauliflower revealed significantly lower weight loss (3.07% and 3.61%) compared to polyethylene packaging (5.08% and 6.63%). Our results highlights that the synergistic effect of inclusion complexation and fibrous architecture provides enhanced stability, antibacterial efficacy and postharvest preservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 101816"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148569088","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Variations in semi- and non-volatile organic substances during physical recycling and their migration from rPET bottles","authors":"Yi-Qi Liu,&nbsp;Yan Zeng,&nbsp;Shao-Fu Zeng,&nbsp;Zhi-Wei Wang,&nbsp;Lei Zhu,&nbsp;Li-Li Jin,&nbsp;Gui-Qin Shang,&nbsp;Gui-Hua Liu,&nbsp;Chang-Ying Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101793","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101793","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As food contact materials, the safety of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) depended on the pollutant removal capacity of the physical recycling process. By tracking variations in substances throughout the waste PET processing, it was confirmed that washing effectively removed surface residues, while heat treatment facilitated the degradation of oligomers. On this basis, the migration behaviors of semi-volatile and non-volatile organic substances in rPET/vPET blended bottles were evaluated. The results indicated that metal migration levels were low (&lt; 0.16 mg/kg) and within safe limits. Regarding semi-volatile and non-volatile organic substances, although almost no migration occurred in 4% acetic acid or 10% ethanol, significant migration was observed in 95% ethanol, with the migration amount of non-volatile organic substances (primarily linear and cyclic oligomers) reaching 2.60 mg/kg. Notably, under high-alcohol and high-temperature conditions, virgin PET (vPET) exhibited oligomer release levels comparable to those of rPET. Furthermore, migration levels showed no significant correlation with the rPET incorporation ratio. Safety assessments further identified cyclic oligomers as the primary risk factors. Comparative analysis revealed that Enterprise 1 demonstrated superior safety over Enterprise 2, primarily attributed to the lower content of the key risk substance, cyclic (TPA-EG)₃, a difference likely stemming from variations in rPET raw material sources. Additionally, high temperatures and prolonged storage times accelerated the migration of cyclic oligomers. In summary, strictly controlling rPET sources effectively controlled chemical risks, providing a scientific basis for food packaging applications with high safety standards.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 101793"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148569577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative evaluation of pH-responsive electrospun nanofiber films: Influence of anthocyanin profiles from six blueberry cultivars for intelligent pork freshness monitoring","authors":"Mengyang Xu,&nbsp;Zhaxi Cairang,&nbsp;Haifei Ou,&nbsp;Lanlan Du,&nbsp;Chong Shi,&nbsp;Shuqiong Xia,&nbsp;Fengyi Zhao,&nbsp;Lianfei Lyu,&nbsp;Yaqiong Wu,&nbsp;Fuliang Cao,&nbsp;Donglu Fang,&nbsp;Weilin Li","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101795","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101795","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Anthocyanins were extracted from six cultivars of blueberry: ‘Biloxi’, ‘Legacy’, ‘Brightwell’, ‘Zhongzhi 3’, ‘Reka’ and ‘Gardenblue’. The obtained anthocyanin extracts were added to polylactic acid (PLA)/quaternized chitosan (QAC) polymer matrices, then nanofiber films were prepared by electrospinning technology, and their properties were evaluated. The results showed that the total anthocyanin content of the six blueberry extracts was 32.123 mg/g, 17.637 mg/g, 35.370 mg/g, 36.880 mg/g, 39.263 mg/g and 40.120 mg/g, respectively. HPLC-MS analysis identified the presence of four major anthocyanins, namely delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin and malvidin. The significant differences in various properties among different nanofiber films were attributed to variations in the content and composition of anthocyanins in different blueberry extracts. Specifically, the diameter, mechanical properties, water contact angle, water vapor permeability, water solubility and antioxidant activity of the nanofiber films were primarily associated with the structural composition of anthocyanins. However, the crystallinity, thermal stability, and pH color responsive performance of the nanofiber films were mainly influenced by the anthocyanin content. The colorimetric film prepared with the ‘Gardenblue’ anthocyanin extract was more suitable for use as an indicator label to monitor pork freshness, due to the extract’s malvidin-3-<em>O</em>-gal/glc abundance which reached 75.99%. In conclusion, this study provides a theoretical reference for the subsequent development of multifunctional packaging materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 101795"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148569591","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Natural hydrogels for active, intelligent and smart food packaging: Advances, challenges, and future perspectives","authors":"Siyu Cheng,&nbsp;Yu Wang,&nbsp;Ting Wang,&nbsp;Chuang Li,&nbsp;Dandan Li,&nbsp;Srinivas Janaswamy,&nbsp;Guangjun Nie","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101789","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101789","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global food industry is evolving rapidly, driving increasing demand for functional and eco-friendly food packaging. Active, intelligent, and smart food packaging materials (AIS-FPMs) have become a pivotal research field. Among these, natural hydrogels (NHs) have attracted particular attention due to their tunable physicochemical properties, bio-based origins, and favorable environmental performance. This review comprehensively summarizes the latest advances in NHs-based AIS-FPMs, focusing on their structural advantages, functional drawbacks, industrialization obstacles, and improvement strategies, and elucidates the mechanisms underlying their stimuli-responsive behavior and barrier performance through representative case studies. Key observations: (1) the adjustable porosity and natural biodegradability of hydrogels support sustainability goals in modern packaging; (2) their responsiveness to environmental stimuli, such as pH and temperature enables real-time monitoring of food quality; (3) inherent limitations of NHs include insufficient mechanical strength, high moisture sensitivity (e.g., excessive swelling in high-humidity environments), and poor long-term stability; and (4) strategies such as nano-reinforcement and optimized crosslinking have been explored to improve performance, although these approaches may involve trade-offs in optical clarity or processing complexity, and (5) industrial-scale production remains challenging due to complex fabrication processes, low continuous throughput, poor compatibility with high-speed packaging lines, and regulatory hurdles related to food-contact safety. The review also discusses a development framework that integrates biomimetic design principles with emerging manufacturing methods to guide the future development of NHs-based AIS-FPMs. Promising future research directions include integrating multifunctional sensors, developing bio-based nanocomposites, and simplifying fabrication processes to overcome industrialization barriers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 101789"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148569578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Silane-engineered bacterial cellulose infiltrated with PLA–ZnO nanocomposites for multifunctional active packaging of fresh strawberries","authors":"Ajmal P. Muhammed,&nbsp;Chaitany Jayprakash Raorane,&nbsp;Sadhasivam Thangarasu,&nbsp;Albin Davies,&nbsp;Youngson Choe,&nbsp;Sunghun Cho,&nbsp;Seong-Cheol Kim,&nbsp;Tae Hwan Oh","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101809","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101809","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To address the interfacial incompatibility between hydrophilic bacterial cellulose (BC) and hydrophobic polymer phases, this work reports a bioactive packaging film fabricated through a sequential dual <em>ex situ</em> strategy, combining APTMS-treated BC with a ZnO-reinforced PLA matrix. The APTMS treatment improved the compatibility between BC and the PLA-ZnO phase, promoting polymer incorporation and structural compaction, which reduced moisture permeability by ∼43.1% and increased the water contact angle by ∼126.5%. ZnO imparted strong active functionality, providing 99.99% antibacterial inactivation against <em>S. aureus</em> and 96.30% against <em>E. coli</em>, along with enhanced antibiofilm and antioxidant activity. The film also exhibited strong UV blocking (T₂₈₀ = 0.74%), improved visible transparency, and adequate mechanical and thermal performance. In strawberry storage tests, the BC-APTMS-PLA-ZnO (BAPZ) composite film restricted weight loss to 14.45% and suppressed microbial load to 1.88 log CFU/g after five days, highlighting its potential for the effective preservation of perishable foods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 101809"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148569085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A data-driven framework for remaining shelf-life prediction of sweet cherries under modified atmosphere packaging and variable cold-chain conditions","authors":"Smit Patel,&nbsp;Rishabh Goyal,&nbsp;Carolina A. Torres,&nbsp;Juming Tang,&nbsp;Kang Huang,&nbsp;Charles L. Munson,&nbsp;Shyam S. Sablani","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101808","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101808","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate shelf-life prediction establishes a baseline under controlled storage, whereas remaining shelf-life (RSL) prediction enables informed decision-making in dynamic food systems. Sweet cherries stored under modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) experience quality degradation driven by the coupled effects of time, temperature, respiration, and gas composition. While shelf-life can be estimated under controlled storage, translating this information to dynamic cold-chain environments requires models that account for cumulative handling and temperature variability. Multiple regression, machine learning, and deep learning models were evaluated to estimate quality attributes, gas composition, and shelf-life under controlled storage conditions. Across all tested approaches, deep learning models consistently outperformed traditional methods. For shelf-life prediction, the one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) demonstrated the highest predictive accuracy (RMSE 1 day). To extend prediction beyond shelf-life, a unified framework was developed for RSL estimation by integrating physics-based respiration and gas exchange modeling with data-driven learning. A generative adversarial network was used to generate internally consistent quality state variables required for RSL estimation when direct measurements are unavailable. Under simulated moderate and extreme cold-chain abuse scenarios, the 1D-CNN achieved the lowest prediction error for RSL estimation, with a mean squared error on the order of 1 day, and captured stepwise and cumulative RSL losses associated with transient temperature excursions. The proposed framework enables time-resolved RSL prediction under realistic cold-chain conditions and provides a practical foundation for decision-support tools aimed at reducing postharvest losses, optimizing logistics, and improving quality management of perishable produce in applied food systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 101808"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148569083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Upcycling brewers’ spent grain into antimicrobial, UV-shielding PVA/ZnO biocomposite films for active food packaging","authors":"Jie Yao,&nbsp;Mengran Zhang,&nbsp;Guohua Zhao,&nbsp;Damao Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101800","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101800","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A bioactive and biodegradable packaging film was fabricated via a solvent-casting method using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) reinforced with alkaline–peroxide treated brewers’ spent grain (BSG-M) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs). Alkaline–peroxide treatment was applied to BSG, which is reported to disrupt lignin–carbohydrate associations and promote microfibrillation, yielding a modified lignocellulosic filler containing residual proteins that dispersed uniformly within the PVA matrix, thereby enhancing the tensile performance and soil degradability of the composite films. The incorporation of an optimal ZnO loading (2–3 wt%) facilitated the formation of dense hydrogen-bond networks and increased the tortuosity of the diffusion path. Consequently, the composite films exhibited a UV-B blocking efficiency exceeding 96%, antibacterial inhibition rates up to ∼100% (depending on ZnO loading) against <em>Escherichia coli</em> and <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, and a moderate DPPH-radical scavenging activity (approximately 20%). Specifically, the PBZ-3 film (containing 3 wt% ZnO) significantly enhanced the preservation of strawberries during 8 days of storage at 4 °C. Compared with commercial polyethylene (PE) packaging, the PBZ-3 film minimized weight loss to 12.84% and provided superior vitamin C retention and improved visual quality, while maintaining the critical advantage of biodegradability. Furthermore, soil burial tests demonstrated a 54% mass loss within 30 days, confirming a favorable balance between functional performance and biodegradability. These results indicate that the PVA/BSG/ZnO ternary composite film is a promising biodegradable active packaging material with moisture-barrier, UV-shielding, antibacterial, and extract-based antioxidant functions for fresh produce.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 101800"},"PeriodicalIF":10.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148569575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}