The competitive release kinetics and synergistic antibacterial characteristics of tea polyphenols/ε‐poly‐l‐lysine hydrochloride core–shell microcapsules against Shewanella putrefaciens

Summary To obtain the antibacterial agents with long‐acting and slow‐release properties, the microcapsules were prepared with tea polyphenols (TP), ε‐poly‐ l ‐lysine hydrochloride (ε‐PL) and TP/ε‐PL as core materials. Meanwhile, the microcapsules were characterised, their release properties were measured, and their antimicrobial mechanisms against Shewanella putrefaciens were studied. At the initial release phase, TP and ε‐PL are competitively released from the composite microcapsules. The release of TP and ε‐PL is both fitted to the logistic model, indicating that the primary release mechanism is the disintegration and dissolution. The long‐acting antibacterial properties of the microcapsules are better than those of the free antibacterial agent. The microcapsules can destroy the integrity of the cell membrane, and make the permeability improve. Also, the synthesis and expression of bacterial proteins are inhibited. Because of long‐term antibacterial properties, the microcapsules have potential value for application in the preservation of food.