Food Packaging and Shelf Life最新文献

{"title":"Jahn–Teller distortion-engineered conversion platform for efficient photo-to-gas integration in non-contact antibacterial food preservation","authors":"Qianliao Zhou ,&nbsp;Hongsu Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaoning Hou ,&nbsp;Biao Dong ,&nbsp;Liheng Sun ,&nbsp;Xiaodi Niu","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101716","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101716","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Non-contact antibacterial strategies offer significant promise for combating bacterial infections and enhancing food preservation. However, current approaches are constrained by low active concentrations, limited efficiency, and environmental sensitivity. Here, we report an innovative non-contact antibacterial film (Cs₃EuCl₆–Ce6@Arg–CMC, CCAC), which leverages the photoluminescence quantum yield (&gt; 90 %) of Cs₃EuCl₆ nanocrystals for the generation of reactive oxygen species triggered by UV light irradiation, thereby triggering the controlled release of nitric oxide (NO, up to 11.8 μM) from arginine for enhanced sterilization and food quality maintenance. Ethyl 4-chloro-7-methoxy-quinoline-3-carboxylate doping induces Jahn–Teller distortion through Eu^3 + coordination within the crystal lattice, significantly enabling efficient photo (UV)-to-gas (NO) conversion, thereby facilitating non-contact antibacterial activity. Benefiting from the exceptional water and thermal stability of Cs₃EuCl₆, the CCAC film retains strong antimicrobial activity even after immersion in water or heating for over 240 h. The CCAC film demonstrated non-contact antibacterial performance, inhibiting <em>Escherichia coli</em> by 98.92 % and <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> by 97.82 %. Practical application tests showed that the CCAC film could extend the shelf life of chicken meat and corn germ oil by 2 and 6 d, respectively. This bifunctional, non-contact antibacterial platform based on rare-earth perovskite nanomaterials introduces a new paradigm for both clinical antibacterial treatments and real-world food preservation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 101716"},"PeriodicalIF":10.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146171416","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":"Agro-industrial residues from baru (Dipteryx alata Vogel) for the development of active and nanostructured biodegradable films","authors":"Gracieli de Miranda Monteiro ,&nbsp;Rafael Carvalho do Lago ,&nbsp;Luíz Guilherme Malaquias da Silva ,&nbsp;Carlos Alexandre Rocha da Costa ,&nbsp;Gustavo Henrique Denzin Tonoli ,&nbsp;Marina Rocha Komeroski ,&nbsp;Alessandro de Oliveira Rios ,&nbsp;Elisângela Elena Nunes Carvalho ,&nbsp;Eduardo Valério de Barros Vilas Boas","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2025.101696","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2025.101696","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the valorization of residues from the baru (<em>Dipteryx alata</em>) nut industry, particularly the endocarp, as a cellulose source for the development of active biodegradable films. Lignocellulosic micro/nanofibrillated gels (LCMNF) was produced following established protocols, with the 2832 mesh selected for film formulation. A hydroalcoholic extract of baru pulp, rich in phenolic acids such as quercetin and ferulic acid ( 59.81 and 5.55 µg/g respectively), was incorporated at 1 % and 2 % (w/w, dry basis) into starch–LCMNF films. - Increased extract concentration exhanced total phenolic content (521.78 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 g) and antioxidant capacity, as measured by the phosphomolybdenum complex method (81.7 mg ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE)/g) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay (24 %). Extract addition reduced hydrophilicity (contact angle up to 79.58°) and improved thermal stability, but decreased tensile strength (26.34 MPa) and increased water vapor permeability (7.30 g·mm/m²·day·kPa). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) integrating optical, mechanical, barrier, and functional parameters explained 92 % of the total variance. Films containing extract showed clear multivariate separation from controls, driven mainly by total phenolic compounds, Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), Phosphomolybdenum Complex results, and DPPH activity. The multivariate separation confirmed extract concentration as the dominant factor shaping bioactivity. These findings demonstrate the potential of baru endocarp and pulp residues as sustainable feedstocks for functional biodegradable packaging materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 101696"},"PeriodicalIF":10.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146171418","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":"Advances in PLA/PBAT-based blend film in food packaging applications: A review","authors":"Somraj Patil ,&nbsp;Rekha Chawla ,&nbsp;Carolina Krebs de Souza ,&nbsp;Parya Ezati ,&nbsp;Pratap Kalita ,&nbsp;Swarup Roy","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101715","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101715","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>There is a growing interest in biodegradable plastic, and in this regard, polylactic acid (PLA) and poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) have received a lot of attention. Both PLA and PBAT are polyester-type polymers, commonly known as bioplastics in the packaging field. PLA and PBAT have good mechanical strength and flexibility, respectively. PLA-based film has low flexibility, while PBAT lacks strength; thus, blending PLA and PBAT could be advantageous in overcoming the limitations of the unblended counterparts. Moreover, including functional filler, additives and bioactive ingredient are useful to further enhance the physical and functional properties of the packaging film. The PLA/PBAT blend film can be effective in extending the shelf life of fresh produce and also processed food. This review discusses the recent progress in PLA and PBAT based functional composite film for food packaging applications. The importance of PLA and PBAT in sustainable packaging development is discussed. After briefly discussing the methods for formation of PLA/PBAT blend film the key properties are described. The application of the PLA/PBAT-based film in real-time food preservation is described at the end. Finally, the challenges associated with the PLA-PBAT in making sustainable packaging as an alternative to non-biodegradable packaging are also addressed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 101715"},"PeriodicalIF":10.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146171490","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":"Efficient fabrication of biodegradable polylactic acid/poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)/titanium dioxide films integrating ethylene catalysis and antibacterial activity for fruits and vegetables preservation","authors":"Shuhao Wu ,&nbsp;Yu Du ,&nbsp;Xiaowei Ning ,&nbsp;Fangping Xie ,&nbsp;Heng Xie ,&nbsp;Bang Ji","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101713","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101713","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plastic packaging films have emerged as a rapidly advancing technology in the preservation of fruits and vegetables. To address environmental concerns and fruit deterioration from conventional plastics, a scalable method combining melt blending with flow casting to fabricate degradable packaging films integrating ethylene catalytic activity and antimicrobial functionality was developed. The nano titanium dioxide (TiO₂) particles were uniformly incorporated into the matrix formed by polylactic acid (PLA) and poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) under the action of the melt blending flow field, and the PLA/PBAT/TiO₂ composite (PPTC) films with a thickness of 100 μm were cast successively. The PPTC films incorporating 20 wt% PBAT exhibited a 27.4 % increase in elongation at break compared with PLA films (5.4 %), demonstrating exceptional mechanical strength that consequently provided robust protective performance. The films significantly delayed kiwifruit maturation by maintaining 70 % ethylene catalytic efficiency while exhibiting potent antimicrobial effects with 91.5 % inhibition of <em>E. coli</em> and 99.8 % inhibition of <em>S. aureus</em>. This dual functionality preserved fruit hardness and enhanced overall postharvest quality. Critically, the films exhibited a mass loss of 39.49 wt% within 150 days during degradation experiments, demonstrating effective biodegradability. This approach provides a scalable solution for functionally engineered packaging films, simultaneously addressing fabrication efficiency and plastic pollution challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 101713"},"PeriodicalIF":10.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147385496","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":"Development of folic acid and silver nanoparticle modified Cu-based metal–organic framework with enhanced ethylene adsorption and moisture resistance for active fruit packaging","authors":"Huan Zhang ,&nbsp;Haozhe Kong ,&nbsp;Farhana R. Pinu ,&nbsp;Jinquan Feng ,&nbsp;Penghui Zhu ,&nbsp;Yunfei Xie ,&nbsp;Zhilong Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2025.101695","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2025.101695","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A Cu-based metal–organic framework called HKUST-1 holds critical potential for minimizing postharvest fruit waste by regulating C₂H₄ concentration. However, their practical application in food packaging remains constrained by structural instability and diminished C₂H₄ adsorption under high humidity. Here, we improved the hydrophobicity and gas adsorption performance of HKUST-1 with folic acid and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using a simple post-synthetic modification strategy. The moisture resistance was significantly enhanced with water contact angle increasing from 55.03° to 103.70°. For HKUAg-1, the C₂H₄ adsorption capacity increased up to 126.66 cm³/g STP, showing a 10 % increase compared with HKUST-1. For the modified material, Cu²⁺ and AgNPs serve as the primary adsorption sites, while folic acid functions as a secondary site that further enhances C₂H₄ adsorption. Finally, HKUAg-1 was applied to bananas, and the results showed that under 90 % relative humidity, the fruits retained a yellow-green appearance up to day 7. Starting from day 3, HKUAg-1 significantly reduced weight loss, C₂H₄ production, respiration rate, and downregulated pectin esterase and pyruvate kinase activities. The results suggest that HKUAg-1 has great potential for use in active packaging to delay ripening and extend the shelf life of bananas even under high-humidity conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 101695"},"PeriodicalIF":10.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147385498","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":"Omnidirectional flexible cushioning hydrogel foam inspired by the pomelo peel architecture for protecting irregularly shaped soft fruits","authors":"Xiangju Feng ,&nbsp;Wenjing Shi ,&nbsp;Feifei Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaohong Guo ,&nbsp;Si Tang ,&nbsp;Xuequn Shi ,&nbsp;Saowapa Chaiwong ,&nbsp;Di Wu ,&nbsp;Kunsong Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101712","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101712","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Most research on cushion packaging focused on spherical fruits. Little research is conducted on irregularly shaped fruits. Inspired by the omnidirectional protection and porous structure of pomelo peel, directly forming materials on the surface of irregularly shaped fruits is an effective approach. In the present study physical stirring was used to prepare hydrogel foam at room temperature. Using bananas as an irregularly shaped fruit model, the hydrogel foam was directly cast around ripe bananas prior to solidification to achieve full conformal wrapping. An 8 wt% concentration of gelatin (Gel) was best for foam preparing. With the addition of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), the foam’s porosity increased and its mechanical properties improved. The Gel/CMC foam achieved a foam expansion ratio of 337.33 %, saving over 70 % of the material usage. The foam also demonstrated stable resilience after 100 compression cycles, high specific heat capacity, and 100 % biodegradability within 14 days. After the drop and vibration tests, the browning rates of the Gel/CMC group were 98.83 % and 97.10 % lower than the control group and 96.70 % and 94.53 % lower than the commercial polyethylene foam (EPE) group. Moreover, no bruising was observed in the Gel/CMC group during the storage following the drop and vibration tests. In contrast, 100 % of the fruits in the control and EPE groups were bruised when storage began. Overall, the present study proposed a method for the customized in-situ preparation of bio-based hydrogel materials, which not only enables omnidirectional protection of irregularly shaped fruits but is also applicable to regularly spherical fruits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 101712"},"PeriodicalIF":10.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146171489","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":"pH-responsive polyphenol–polyester composite films for active food packaging","authors":"Xin Hu ,&nbsp;Zhen Zhang ,&nbsp;Chen geng ,&nbsp;Peijie Hou ,&nbsp;Jun Wang ,&nbsp;Yang Li ,&nbsp;Lifang Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101727","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101727","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food spoilage driven by oxidative stress and microbial contamination remains a major challenge in minimally processed fruits, while the development of flexible biodegradable packaging systems with regulated and responsive bioactivity remains limited. In this study, a flexible bio-based active film was fabricated by incorporating gallic acid (GA) into a biodegradable poly(<span>L</span>-lactide)-b-poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PLLA-b-PTMC, PLT) matrix. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding between GA and PLT induced microstructural reorganization and altered chain mobility, enabling biphasic, diffusion-controlled GA release with pH-dependent behavior. The composite films exhibited reactive oxygen species scavenging activity, dose-dependent antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and maintained cytocompatibility at effective GA loadings. Application in a fresh-fruit preservation model demonstrated delayed browning and moderated quality deterioration during storage. These findings indicate that regulating polymer–polyphenol interactions can align release behavior with storage-induced environmental changes, contributing to oxidative and microbial spoilage control in minimally processed fruits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 101727"},"PeriodicalIF":10.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147385583","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":"Development of active sustainable films based on phytic acid and silicate/polyvinyl alcohol hybrid system for wrapping chicken meat","authors":"Chaoqun Li ,&nbsp;Fanyu Meng ,&nbsp;Yongyan Yang ,&nbsp;Jingfei Wang ,&nbsp;Ruiting Zhang ,&nbsp;Chongruihan Li ,&nbsp;Yue Wang ,&nbsp;Jia Wang ,&nbsp;Yan Gao ,&nbsp;Shuangling Zhong ,&nbsp;Xuejun Cui","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101720","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101720","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, a sustainable, and recyclable antimicrobial food packaging film was fabricated. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), phytic acid (PA), and sodium silicate (Na₂SiO₃) were employed as green raw materials, and the films were prepared via a simple casting process. A key breakthrough is the in-situ synthesis of SiO₂ nanoparticles in the PVA-PA matrix using Na₂SiO₃ as the precursor. The weakly acidic environment of the PVA-PA system (provided by PA’s phosphate groups) promotes Na₂SiO₃ hydrolysis without additional acidifiers. This design avoids common issues in conventional hybrid films, such as SiO₂ agglomeration and complex synthesis processes. Experimental results indicate that the optimized PSPⅡ2 film exhibits exceptional comprehensive performance. Its mechanical strength, thermal stability, and antibacterial properties are remarkably enhanced through the synergistic crosslinking of PA and in-situ generated SiO₂. The PSPⅡ2 film exhibits significant antibacterial activity against <em>E. coli</em> and <em>S. aureus</em>. Practical storage tests confirm that it extends the shelf life of refrigerated chicken breast to 11 days while effectively reducing total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content. In addition, the film can dissolve in water at 90°C, and after recovery, it can be remolded into new film. This can be remolded via a simple and green approach with well-retained performance, which reflects its excellent recyclability and sustainability. It also has good thermal compression processability for diverse packaging scenarios. In summary, PSPⅡ2 film not only possesses outstanding functionality but also provides a new strategy for environmentally friendly packaging, demonstrating its great potential as a recyclable and sustainable food packaging material.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 101720"},"PeriodicalIF":10.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146171420","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":"Enhancing interfacial adhesion of chitosan coatings on waxy fruit cuticles via a calcium-gallic acid metal-phenolic network","authors":"Zihang Cai ,&nbsp;Yubin Ren ,&nbsp;Qiuqin Zhang ,&nbsp;Chuang Zhang ,&nbsp;Yunbin Lv ,&nbsp;Junfeng Shi ,&nbsp;Hongmei Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101732","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101732","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The inherent diversity in chemical composition and microstructure of fruit wax and cuticle layers serves as a core barrier to the universal adhesion of conventional coatings on a range of fruit surfaces (<em>e</em>.<em>g</em>., blueberry and grape). Herein, calcium ions were introduced into chitosan-gallic acid (CS-GA) to develop a metal-phenolic networks (MPNs) modified CS coating, which was named CS-GA-Ca. According to microstructural characterization, calcium ions, as a crosslinker, form a coordination with catechol in copolymers and further reconstruct a H-bonding network, resulting in smaller molecular chain spacing and a tighter polysaccharide network structure. Furthermore, the CS-GA-Ca films demonstrated improved vapor barrier and mechanical properties. The CS-GA-Ca coating exhibited improved adhesive capacity on the wax layer of blueberries. The molecular dynamic (MD) stimulation results revealed stronger Van der Waals forces (-64.35 kcal·mol⁻¹) and electrostatic interactions binding energies (-28.84 kcal·mol⁻¹) between CS-GA-Ca and epicuticular wax components compared to CS-GA (-4.21/0.01 kcal·mol⁻¹). Finally, the CS-GA-Ca reduced weigh loss of blueberries and grapes by 17% and 27% compared to uncoated ones over 24 days (4℃) and 10 days (25℃), respectively. Moreover, the blueberries and grapes coated with CS-GA-Ca exhibited 2.0-fold and 1.6-fold prolonged shelf life compared to uncoated ones, respectively. Overall, this study presents a promising approach for developing bio-derived coating materials to prolong the shelf life of fruits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 101732"},"PeriodicalIF":10.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147385584","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":"Development of green chitosan/gelatin coating reinforced with photothermal ZnO nanoparticles for light-responsive antibacterial packaging application","authors":"Jiaxin Liu ,&nbsp;Shiyi Wei ,&nbsp;Tianyu Chen ,&nbsp;Xinning Wang ,&nbsp;Yuying Li ,&nbsp;Wei Li ,&nbsp;Yunxuan Weng ,&nbsp;Xiaoying Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101729","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fpsl.2026.101729","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Development of fruit packaging with antibacterial properties is of great interest. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are widely used to enhance the antibacterial properties of chitosan-based packaging materials. ZnO NPs, with sizes ranging from 5 to 100 nm, exhibit strong antibacterial activity, though they also pose potential risks to human health. To address this concern, this study develops a novel approach that leverages the photothermal properties of larger ZnO NPs (&gt;100 nm) to develop a light-responsive antibacterial coating. ZnO NPs (5 wt%) with a spindle morphology and photothermal activity were synthesized and incorporated into a chitosan/gelatin (1:1) blend, acting as light-to-heat converters. When exposed to light, these ZnO NPs induced a localized temperature increase of 10.3–14.2°C. This rise in temperature facilitated the movement of polymer chains, triggering a reversible thermal transition in the coating. Consequently, the encapsulated antibacterial agent polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG) was released. The release of PHMG was accelerated by up to 386% under light. The antibacterial rate of the coating, when exposed to light, achieved 97.3% against <em>E. coli</em> and 99.4% against <em>S. aureus</em>, respectively. Furthermore, blueberries packaged with the coating showed inhibited microbial growth by 29.1% and reduced weight loss under light. This approach presents a novel alternative to conventional strategies that rely on the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated antibacterial activity of small ZnO NPs (&lt;100 nm), thereby mitigating potential nanotoxicity concerns while enabling on-demand antimicrobial action, making it particularly suitable for food packaging applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12377,"journal":{"name":"Food Packaging and Shelf Life","volume":"54 ","pages":"Article 101729"},"PeriodicalIF":10.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147385585","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}