Electrospun PEO/WPI Nanofibers with Vanillin for Food Applications

In this study, we successfully fabricated vanillin (VAN) incorporated poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) and whey protein isolate (WPI) nanofibers and optimized the preparation conditions. The nanofibers were prepared at different percentages of PEO/WPI/VAN, and the characterization techniques of XRD, FTIR, FESEM, and DSC were employed to analyze the samples. Additionally, mechanical properties, and physicochemical were measured to identify the critical factors for nanofiber optimization. The best parameters observed at a PEO 10%: WPI 3% ratio of 80:20, producing narrower and smoother fibers (average diameter of 264.07 nm; additionally, the addition of VAN to the optimal PEO/WPI ratio (80:20) decreased fiber diameter. Furthermore, vanillin was incorporated into the optimized PEO/WPI nanofibers at concentrations of 1MIC (10 mg/mL) and 2MIC (20 mg/mL) to evaluate their antioxidant and antibacterial abilities before and after electrospinning. In summery, these findings suggest that the PEO/WPI nanofibers, with the addition of VAN, hold potential as a promising platform for future applications in the food and drug industries. Further research can build upon these findings to explore the specific functionalities and applications of these nanofibers in greater detail.