Perillyl alcohol-inclusion complex encapsulated electrospun gum arabic/PVA nanofiber for active fruit packaging

Fresh fruits are highly prone to microbial colonization and oxidative degradation, presenting hurdles in tackling food spoilage. Biodegradable active fruit packaging incorporated with bioactive molecules offers a sustainable solution to mitigate the challenges associated with nonbiodegradable packaging. In this study, perillyl alcohol (PA), a potent antimicrobial and antioxidant bioactive has been complexed with β-cyclodextrin to prepare inclusion complex (PA-IC) and then encapsulated into gum arabic/polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers (PA-IC-NF) via electrospinning. The PA-IC-NF were characterized using SEM, ATR-FTIR, PXRD, and TGA, confirming structural uniformity, successful encapsulation, and thermal stability of the nanofibers. The average water contact angle of 56.59˚ showed the hydrophilic nature of the nanofibers, a critical factor for moisture management in packaging. The release profile of PA from nanofibers in the medium showed sustained release, and antioxidant activity was estimated by DPPH radical scavenging assay. Further evaluations revealed strong antimicrobial, biofilm inhibition and eradication ability, assessed through an XTT reduction assay against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis. To validate its practical application, PA-IC-NF was tested as active packaging for strawberries and grapes, and it was observed that the nanofibers extended their shelf life for 8 days, preventing microbial colonization. Physiological parameters like weight loss, pH, vitamin C content, titratable acidity, and total phenolic content, indicating quality of fruits were also assessed. The biodegradability analysis showed 45 % and 55 % degradation in 14 and 28 days respectively. Therefore, this study highlights the potential of PA-IC-NF as a biodegradable and sustainable active fruit packaging, showcasing enhanced functional properties of PA.