Respiration‐Triggered Release of Cinnamaldehyde from a Biomolecular Schiff Base Composite for Preservation of Perishable Food

Abstract One‐third of the food produced worldwide is wasted annually and never consumed, of which ≈ 40–50% are perishable vegetables and fruits (VFs). Although various methods are proposed to reduce this loss, high manufacturing costs and food safety concerns pose significant challenges for the preservation of VFs. Herein, a respiration‐triggered, self‐saving strategy for the preservation of perishable products based on a biomolecular Schiff base composite fabricated by imidization of chitosan and cinnamaldehyde (CS‐Cin) is reported. Ripening of VFs produces acid moisture and triggers a Schiff base reaction in CS‐Cin, permitting the release of volatile Cin into the storage space. This enables versatile preservation by placing CS‐Cin on the side without the need to touch the food, like the desiccant packet in a food packaging bag, while the rotting of VFs is retarded in a self‐saving manner. As a result, the lifetimes of broccoli and strawberries are extended from 2 to 8 days. Furthermore, CS‐Cin with restored preservative properties can be repeatedly recycled from used CS via imidization with Cin. Compared with conventional techniques, the preservatives are easy to use, versatile, and cost‐effective, and the respiration‐responsive release of Cin empowers a self‐saving approach toward the smart preservation of perishable food.