Preparation and characterization of electrospun nanofibre membranes incorporated with an ethanol extract of Capparis spinosa L. as a potential packaging material

In this study, an ethanol extract of Capparis spinosa L. (CSL), as a powerful natural antibacterial and antioxidant agent, was incorporated into polylactide (PLA) nanofibre membranes to fabricate a novel food packaging material. Different contents of CSL (0, 3 and 6 wt%) were added to the PLA solution, and uniform nanofibres were fabricated by electrospinning. The main components in the ethanol extract of CSL, flavonoid compounds, were detected by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. Scanning electron microscopy assays indicated that the CSL-loaded nanofibre membranes possessed an average nanofibre diameter ranging between 201.5 and 377.7 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy observations showed that CSL was successfully loaded in the nanofibre membranes. The water contact angle test suggested that the concentration of CSL influences the surface hydrophobicity of the nanofibre membranes. Mechanical property tests showed that the addition of CSL improved the flexibility of the nanofibre membranes. The oxidation resistance test indicated that the addition of CSL improved the oxidation resistance of the composite nanofibre membranes. Moreover, the antibacterial analysis suggested that the CSL-loaded nanofibre membranes could effectively inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Overall, CSL-loaded composite nanofibre membranes may have promising applications in the field of food packaging.