Food packaging for ripening and preserving banana based on ethylene-loaded nanofiber films deposited with nanosized cyclodextrin metal-organic frameworks and TiO2 nanoparticles

In this paper, we designed a food packaging which could not only accelerate the postharvest ripening of banana, but also prolong the shelf life of banana. First, we prepared polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers deposited with nanosized γ-cyclodextrin metal-organic frameworks (CD-MOFs) and TiO₂ nanoparticles (TiO₂ @CD-MOF@PCL), CD-MOFs were used to encapsulate ethylene, and TiO₂ nanoparticles were used to degrade ethylene. The ethylene adsorption capacity of nanosized CD-MOF was evaluated, and results showed that the isosteric enthalpy of adsorption (ΔH_ads) was −41.58 kJ/mol. The ethylene pressure, as the critical factor, led to ethylene loading content reaching 1.46 % by 1.6 MPa pressure, 25 °C temperature, 24 h encapsulation time, and 10 min electrospraying time. The releasing behavior of ethylene was affected by humidity and temperature, and under 90 % RH and 20 °C, 92.12 % ethylene was released on the 3th day. The photooxidation degradation experiment proved that as the TiO₂ nanoparticle loading content increased from 1 % to 3 %, the photooxidation degradation activity increased. The degradation rate of ethylene was improved as ethylene concentration increased. In addition, E @ TiO₂ @CD-MOF@PCL (E represents ethylene) nanofiber film was proved that it could shorten ripening period of banana by releasing ethylene. After being irradiated by ultraviolet, shelf life of banana was prolonged by degrading ethylene.