Batch Preparation and Characterization of Anthocyanin/CS/PEO Nanofiber Membranes for Food Packages

Chitosan (CS), as a biocompatible and biodegradable nature polymer, has excellent antibacterial property. Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), as a biomaterial with thermal stability, biocompatibility and biodegradability, has good spinnability. Anthocyanin, as a natural colorant agent with different molecular structures under different pH values, has good antibacterial and antioxidant properties and can be applied as a pH indicator. Electrospun nanofiber membranes (NFMs) show great application prospects in food packaging due to their unique structural and functional advantages. In this work, anthocyanin/CS/PEO nanofiber membranes (NFMs) for food packaging were batch prepared by the spherical section free surface electrospinning (SSFSE), and their yield reached 5.8 ± 0.4 g/h. The morphology, structure and properties of CS-based NFMs were explored, which showed that they were hydrophilic and had excellent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Among them, anthocyanin/CS/PEO NFMs exhibited better mechanical properties and high antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the color changes of anthocyanin/CS/PEO NFMs at different pH values were investigated, illustrating that they could be used as a visual monitoring food packaging, and their application effects in beef storage were studied.