Electrospun functional polymeric nanofibers for active food packaging: A review

With the increasing demand for food quality and food safety, it is urgent to develop efficient packaging strategies for prolonging the shelf life of food. Functional polymeric nanofibers have emerged as promising packaging materials and made tremendous breakthrough in food packaging field. Electrospinning technique is recognized as a versatile and high-efficiency method to produce nanofibers with multifunctional properties and adjustable structures. This review focus on electrospinning types and structural construction of nanofibers (uniaxial, core-shell and porous structures) as well as highlighted the advanced functionality of polymeric nanofibers in active packaging. Moreover, the emerging stimuli-responsive nanofibers for controlled release of active compounds were introduced in this review. Ultimately, the existing challenges, future prospects and development directions of nanofiber-based packaging materials were also discussed, which will facilitate the utilization of electrospinning nanotechnology in food industry.