Encapsulation of cinnamon essential oil in electrospun nanofibrous film for active food packaging
Abstract Electrospun polyvinyl alcohol/cinnamon essential oil/ b cyclodextrin (PVA/CEO/ b CD) antimicrobial nanofibrous film with average diameter 240 40 nm was successfully fabricated under the optimal conditions. The data of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that CEO was encapsulated into b CD cavity and there existed molecular interaction among PVA, CEO and b CD, which enhanced the thermal stability of CEO. Water contact angle analysis showed that addition of CEO/ b CD made the nanofibrous film more hydrophilic. The PVA/CEO/ b CD nanofibrous film exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity, and its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was approximate 0.9 1 mg/mL (corresponding CEO concentration 8.9 9.9 mg/mL) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was approximate 7 8 mg/mL (corresponding CEO concentration 69.3 79.2 mg/mL) Furthermore, the mild electrospinning process was favorable for maintaining greater CEO in the film resulting in an improved antimicrobial activity compared with that of casting film. In addition, the PVA/CEO/ b CD nanofibrous film can effectively prolong the shelf life of strawberry, indicating it is potential for the application in active food packaging.