Green cross-linking of gelatin/tea polyphenol/ε-poly (L-lysine) electrospun nanofibrous membrane for edible and bioactive food packaging

Gelatin nanofibrous membrane has attracted increasing attention as biodegradable and edible food packaging. However, the lack of bioactivity and the weak water resistance of gelatin nanofibrous membrane severely limits its application in food preservation. Therefore, in this study, antioxidant agent tea polyphenol (TP) and antibacterial agent ε-poly ( L -lysine) (ε-PL) were incorporated into gelatin nanofibrous membrane. To enhance the water resistance, the TP and ε-PL loaded gelatin nanofibrous membrane was cross-linked at high temperature. And the antibacterial activity and antioxidant activity of gelatin/TP/ε-PL nanofibrous membrane after cross-linking were investigated. The results showed that the gelatin/TP/ε-PL nanofibrous membrane exhibited homogenous bead-free structure. The UV–vis spectra confirmed the successful incorporation of TP and ε-PL into nanofibers. The water contact angle of the gelatin/TP/ε-PL nanofibrous membrane after cross-linking was increased. The fabricated nanofibrous membrane could prevent microbial penetration. And the nanofibrous membrane still exhibited excellent antibacterial activity and antioxidant activity after cross-linking. Finally, the MTT assay demonstrated the biocompatibility of nanofibrous membrane. The above results suggested that the prepared gelatin/TP/ε-PL nanofibrous membrane exhibited great potential in bioactive food packaging. • Tea polyphenol and ε-poly ( L -lysine) were incorporated into gelatin nanofibrous membrane by green electrospinning. • The water resistance of the nanofibrous membrane was enhanced via green cross-linking strategy. • The fabricated nanofibrous membrane exhibited excellent antibacterial activity and antioxidant activity. • The nanofibrous membrane was edible and biodegradable.