Fabrication, characterisation and antimicrobial activity of electrospun Plantago psyllium L. seed gum/gelatine nanofibres incorporated with Cuminum cyminum essential oil nanoemulsion

Summary Plantago psyllium L. seed gum (PPSG)/gelatine nanocomposites containing Cuminum cyminum essential oil (CCEO) were prepared via electrospinning, and the antibacterial properties of the electrospun nanofibres were assessed against Staphylococcus aureus . The nanoemulsion was prepared by adding CCEO to the PPSG/gelatine mixture and sonicated. Uniform nanofibres resulted from the nanoemulsion containing 1.5% PPSG, 8% gelatine and 3% CCEO, and no chemical reactions between the components of the electrospun nanofibres were detected. Growth inhibition zone diameter indicated that the electrospun nanofibres containing at least 3% CCEO had the most significant inhibitory effect on the growth of S. aureus . The electrospun PPSG/gelatine‐CCEO nanocomposites are capable of being used as a biodegradable material in food packaging as well as in edible coatings for the preservation of food products.