Preparation and performance characterization of antimicrobial films based on chitosan-nisin-nanocrystalline cellulose and its preservation effect applied to baby cabbage

Baoxiang Li; Zhuocheng Sun; Ziyu Tian; Xianghong Meng; Ning Wang; Zhijun Liu; Yanru Sun; Wei Nan; Yating Zhao

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.140247

Preparation and performance characterization of antimicrobial films based on chitosan-nisin-nanocrystalline cellulose and its preservation effect applied to baby cabbage

Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 Jan 24:140247. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.140247. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Baoxiang Li¹, Zhuocheng Sun¹, Ziyu Tian¹, Xianghong Meng², Ning Wang², Zhijun Liu³, Yanru Sun³, Wei Nan³, Yating Zhao⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of food science and Pharmacy, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830052, China.
² College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China.
³ Xinjiang Donglu Water Control Agricultural Development, Kashi, Xinjiang 844200, China.
⁴ College of food science and Pharmacy, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830052, China. Electronic address: zhaoyt@xjau.edu.cn.

PMID: 39864704
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.140247

Abstract

Environmental concerns stemming from the widespread use of polyethylene packaging and the perishability of fresh products have promoted the development of antimicrobial biodegradable packaging films in preservation of vegetables. In this study, antimicrobial films based on chitosan (CS)-nisin (Ni)-nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) were characterized, and its preservation effect applied to baby cabbage was investigated. The results suggest that 1 % CS-0.6 g/L Ni solution presented the best inhibitory effect on the growth of Pectobacterium carotovorum but the poor dispersion and film-forming properties. Additionally, NCC significantly enhanced the homogeneity of the film-forming solution and the degree of crystallinity in the films. Compared to CS-Ni film, the tensile strength and DPPH radical scavenging of CS-Ni-NCC film were boosted by 14.1 MPa and 4.56 %, and the oxygen and water vapor permeability were reduced by 54.4 % and 12.9 %, respectively. Furthermore, baby cabbage packaged with the CS-Ni-NCC film exhibited the lowest decay rate, weight loss, and appearance deterioration while maintaining better nutrient and antioxidant capacity among all treatment groups. This contributed to delaying the quality deterioration and extending the shelf-life of baby cabbage during storage. The findings reveal that CS-Ni-NCC composite films can be employed as packaging materials for increasing the shelf life of vegetables.

Keywords: Antimicrobial film; Baby cabbage; Chitosan; Performance characterization; Preservation effect.