electrospun chitosan-polycaprolactone fibers with thyme essential oil/zno nanoemulsion: fabrication and properties

This study developed and characterized electrospun chitosan/polycaprolactone (cs/pcl) nanofibers incorporating a thyme essential oil (teo)/zinc oxide (zno) nanoemulsion for active food packaging applications. nanofibers were fabricated via electrospinning, with teo (3% and 6% w/w) and zno integrated through an emulsion method, and compared against a direct mixing approach. scanning electron microscopy (sem) revealed well-oriented, smooth, and bead-free nanofibers with average diameters ranging from 60 nm (with teo) to 88 nm (without teo). antimicrobial efficacy, assessed over five days, indicated a time-dependent decrease for most nanofibers. crucially, nanofibers prepared via the emulsion method demonstrated significantly sustained antimicrobial activity compared to those produced by direct mixing. specifically, teo-loaded nanofibers, encapsulated via emulsification, effectively maintained the total bacterial count of packaged meat within the standard range (<6 log cfu/g) for up to 6 days. these findings highlight the significant potential of electrospun cs/pcl nanofibers incorporating emulsified teo/zno for developing effective antimicrobial food packaging solutions, thereby enhancing food safety and extending shelf life.