Advances in polysaccharide-based antibacterial materials

Microbial contamination is a major threat to the public health and a primary cause of food spoilage, leading to significant economic losses worldwide. Various materials have been used to combat microbes, including inorganic materials, metals and polymers. Among these, natural polymers have attracted much attention in both academic and industrial research due to their abundance, renewability, biocompatibility, biodegradability and ease of processing. Polysaccharides, such as cellulose and chitosan (chitin), are a crucial category of natural polymers. However, most polysaccharides lack inherent antibacterial activity, limiting their applications in fields like antibacterial packaging and wound dressing etc. Therefore, it is crucial to increase their antibacterial property to expand their application as green antibacterial materials. Various methods, including blending, grafting and in-situ synthesis, have been used to fabricate polysaccharide-based antibacterial materials. This review highlights the major advancements and potential of novel polysaccharide-based antibacterial materials, primarily used in antibacterial food packaging or wound dressings. Moreover, the future prospects and challenges of polysaccharide-based antibacterial materials and the incorporated antimicrobial compounds are also discussed.