Electrospinning of Triple-Component Protein–Polysaccharide Nanofibers for Fabrication of Highly Efficient Ethylene Scavenger Films

Ethylene scavengers exhibit considerably high potential for their application in prolonging the shelf-life of fruits, but their application has been hindered owing to food safety and environmental issues. Thus, in this study, we fabricated a bio-based nanofiber film composed of zein, Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch. gum (ASKG), and chitosan (CS) via electrospinning. The addition of ASKG and CS increased the viscosity and surface tension of zein precursor solutions and consequently enhanced their spinnability. Electrostatic co-assembly between the protein and polysaccharides led to the formation core–shell nanofibers (Z@A-CS nanofibers), which effectively enhanced their ethylene removal efficiency, mechanical properties, and hydrophobicity. Furthermore, bananas incubated with the Z@A-CS nanofiber films for 10 days exhibited a lower browning rate, higher hardness, and prolonged shelf-life compared to those incubated without a film. Based on these results, we deduce that the strong interactions between the numerous active functional groups of zein and ethylene and the large specific surface area of the nanofibers led to the development of highly efficient, environmentally friendly, and economical ethylene scavenger films, which exhibit a high potential in fruit preservation.