Bioinspired Assembly of Natural Polyphenol-Amino Acid Surfactants as Multifunctional Durable Coatings for Anticorrosion Fruit Packaging

Challenges emerge in the quest for highly efficient and biocompatible coatings to tackle microbial contamination. Here, we propose a bioinspired paradigm combining (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and l-arginine surfactants (LAM) as all-green building blocks for advanced coatings with superior performance. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal the natural assembly process of the EGCG/LAM supramolecular nanoparticles (ELA NPs). Notably, the coatings retain 99.0% antimicrobial activity even after eight cycles of use and exhibit highly adhesive and anti-water washing properties, maintaining their efficacy after eight uses and 30 days of water soaking on various substrates. When applied as sustainable food packaging coatings for perishable fruits at room temperature, the ELA coatings significantly extend the shelf life of strawberries and cherry tomatoes, reducing weight loss and maintaining firmness and sweetness. This study demonstrates the potential of ELA NPs as versatile and durable coating materials for mitigating food waste and agricultural economic losses due to microbial pollution.