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Chitosan-Based Composite Films Reinforced with Zein-Inulin-Thyme Essential Oil Pickering Emulsion for Enhanced
Liufeng Wang1, Hongxin Xue1, Yujie Ling1
1College of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Ocean University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Processing and Safety, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Seafood, Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Marine Biological Products, Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing of Aquatic Product of Guangdong Higher Education Institution, Zhanjiang 524088, China.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 13, 2026
Summary
Zein-inulin stabilized thyme essential oil Pickering emulsions enhance chitosan films, improving food packaging. These active films effectively preserve blueberries by reducing spoilage and microbial growth.
Area of Science:
- Food Science and Technology
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Active food packaging aims to extend shelf life and maintain food quality.
- Essential oils offer antimicrobial and antioxidant properties for active packaging.
- Pickering emulsions provide a stable delivery system for active compounds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop zein-inulin stabilized thyme essential oil (TEO) Pickering emulsions.
- To fabricate chitosan (CS) composite films incorporating these Pickering emulsions.
- To evaluate the performance of these active films for blueberry preservation.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of TEO Pickering emulsions using zein and inulin via ultrasonication.
- Fabrication of CS composite films with different TEO loading strategies.
- Characterization of film properties including structure, thermal stability, UV blocking, hydrophobicity, and antioxidant activity.
- Assessment of blueberry preservation by monitoring weight loss, firmness, pH, microbial growth, and sensory attributes.
Main Results:
- Inulin addition enhanced emulsion stability and antibacterial activity.
- CS films with Pickering emulsions showed denser structures and improved thermal stability (up to 260 °C).
- Films exhibited significant UV-A blocking (82.22%), increased hydrophobicity (75.70° contact angle), and high antioxidant capacity (DPPH 93.27%, ABTS 98.42%).
- Blueberry preservation tests showed reduced spoilage indicators and microbial inhibition.
- The chitosan Pickering emulsion film with 0.25% inulin (type VI) demonstrated the best preservation performance.
Conclusions:
- Zein-inulin stabilized TEO Pickering emulsions are effective active agents for chitosan-based food packaging films.
- These active films possess excellent barrier properties, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities.
- The developed active films show significant potential for extending the shelf life of fresh produce like blueberries.
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