Electrospun Biopolymer-Based Membrane as an Eco-Friendly Active Packaging for Extending the Shelf Life of Strawberries

Abstract

Postharvest spoilage of strawberries remains a major challenge in fresh-produce distribution and contributes to food loss and plastic packaging demand. This study developed an electrospun gelatin/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) membrane crosslinked with tannic acid and incorporated with ginger essential oil (GEO) as a biodegradable active packaging material. Membranes containing 0%, 5%, and 10% GEO were prepared and evaluated for morphology, surface wettability, antimicrobial activity, total plate count (TPC), weight loss, and vitamin C retention during 10 d of strawberry storage. Increasing GEO concentration improved surface hydrophobicity and antimicrobial performance. The 10% GEO membrane produced the best preservation response, with strawberry weight loss of 13.55 ± 0.42% after 10 d and higher vitamin C retention than the untreated control. The results indicate that GEO-loaded gelatin-PVA electrospun membranes can delay microbial growth and reduce quality loss in strawberries under the tested laboratory conditions. The environmental contribution of the material is associated with the use of biodegradable polymers, plant-derived active compounds, and potential reduction of food loss and petroleum-based packaging use. However, mechanical performance, migration safety, food-contact compliance, biodegradation kinetics, and scale-up feasibility were not fully evaluated and should be addressed before commercial application.