Recently, researchers from Institute of Bast Fiber Crops of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences have developed a new type of active packaging film using aqueous two-phase Pickering emulsion (ATPPE) and chitosan, which effectively extends the shelf life of fruits such as bananas, providing a new solution for fruit preservation.

Fresh fruits are rich in various nutrients; however, fruits are prone to rotting and deterioration after being picked, leading to significant waste. Although there are currently several preservation technologies such as refrigeration, irradiation, and modified atmosphere packaging, these methods often involve complex facilities, high energy consumption, and are difficult to control precisely. Therefore, developing an effective and environmental-friendly fruit preservation technology is particularly important. Researchers have innovatively introduced the ATPPE technology into the field of fruit preservation. By encapsulating a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent within the ATPPE, and combining it with chitosan materials to prepare a new type of active packaging film. Experiments have shown that this composite film significantly enhances the preservation effect of fruits, extending the shelf life of bananas and tomatoes by approximately 6 days. This achievement opens up new avenues for the development of active packaging materials.

The research was supported by the China Agriculture Research System, Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program, and Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation Youth Fund.

The study entitled "An active packaging film prepared from aqueous two-phase Pickering emulsion and chitosan for fruit preservation" has been published online in Food Chemistry.

Link to publication: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146033.

Fig. Preservation mechanism of composite films based on aqueous two-phase Pickering emulsion and chitosan in Fruit Storage

By Tan Zhijian

(tanzhijian@caas.cn)