Properties of Ethyl Cellulose/Polycaprolactone Electrospun Nano-fibers Incorporated with Gallic Acid and Natamycin for Cheese Packaging

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
Samira Beikzadeh 1
Ali Ehsani 2
Seyyed Amir Mohammad Mortazavian 3
Zhian Sheikhi 2
Marjan Ghorbani 4
Soghra Soghra Ramezani 5
1 Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Islamic Republic of Iran.
2 Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran.
3 Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
4 Nutrition Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran.
5 Faculty of Textile Engineering, Uremia University of Technology, Uremia, Islamic Republic of Iran.
10.48311/jast.2026.27654
Abstract
In this study, polymers of Ethyl Cellulose (ECL) and Polycaprolactone (PCL) were blended in ratios of 70:30, 80:20, and 90:10 (% w/w), and combined with Natamycin (NAT) at concentrations of 1 and 2% (w/w) and Gallic Acid (GAL) at 10 and 30% (w/w). Nano-fibers were produced via electro-spinning under the following conditions: voltage of 16kV, flow rate of 1 mL/hour, and a tip-to-collector distance of 15 cm. The nano-fibers were characterized for their morphology, FTIR, thermal, mechanical, antioxidant, water contact angle, and antifungal properties. The results indicated that ECL90/PCL10, ECL80/PCL20, and ECL70/PCL30 nano-fibers had average diameters of 1250.86±18, 1174±21.4, and 754.73±23 nm, respectively. The ECL70/PCL30 ratio was selected and combined with NAT and GAL. The average diameter of these nano-fibers ranged from 779.32 to 924.63 nm. The addition of NAT and GAL enhanced the thermal stability, mechanical properties, and antifungal efficacy of the ECL/PCL nano-fibers. Notably, nano-fibers containing 2% NAT combined with either 10 or 30% GAL completely inhibited the growth of molds. Cheese samples packaged with nano-fibers containing NAT and GAL exhibited a significantly lower increase in mold and yeast counts during storage compared to the control samples. Furthermore, sensory evaluation revealed no significant differences in scores among the packaged samples. Therefore, ECL/PCL nano-fibers incorporated with 2% NAT and 10% GAL present an effective alternative to the direct incorporation of NAT in cheese formulations.


Keywords
Dair products
Electrospinning
Food preservation
Subjects
1.       Agarwal, S., Wendorff, J. H. and Greiner, A. 2008. Use of Electrospinning Technique for Biomedical Applications. Polymer., 49(26): 5603-5621.
2.       Altan, A., Aytac, Z. and Uyar, T.. 2018. Carvacrol Loaded Electrospun Fibrous Films from Zein and Poly(Lactic Acid) for Active Food Packaging. Food Hydrocoll., 81: 48-59.
3.       Amjadi, S., Almasi, H., Ghorbani, M. and Ramazani, S. 2020. Reinforced ZnONPs/Rosemary Essential Oil-Incorporated Zein Electrospun Nanofibers by κ-Carrageenan. Carbohydr. Polym., 232: 115800.
4.       Amjadi, S., Emaminia, S., Davudian, S. H. Pourmohammad, S., Hamishehkar, H.and Roufegarinejad, L. 2019. Preparation and Characterization of Gelatin-Based Nanocomposite Containing Chitosan Nanofiber and ZnO Nanoparticles. Carbohydr. Polym., 216: 376-384.
5.       Aytac, Z., Ipek, S., Durgun, E., Tekinay, T. and Uyar, T. 2017. Antibacterial Electrospun Zein Nanofibrous Web Encapsulating Thymol/Cyclodextrin-Inclusion Complex for Food Packaging. Food Chem., 233: 117-124.
6.       Beikzadeh, S., Ehsani, A. and Ramezani, S. 2025. Electrospun Ethyl Cellulose/Sage Seed Mucilage Incorporated with Cumin Essential Oil: As a New Source for Cheese Packaging. J. Food Meas. Charact.,19(7): 4585-4596.
7.       Beikzadeh, S., Ghorbani, M., Shahbazi, N., Izadi, F., Pilevar, Z. and Mortazavian, A. M. 2020. The Effects of Novel Thermal and Nonthermal Technologies on the Properties of Edible Food Packaging. Food Eng. Rev., 12(3): 333-345.
8.       Beikzadeh, S., Hosseini, S. M., Mofid, V., Ramezani, S., Ghorbani, M., Ehsani A. and Mortazavian, A. M. 2021. Electrospun Ethyl Cellulose/Poly Caprolactone/Gelatin Nanofibers: The Investigation of Mechanical, Antioxidant, and Antifungal Properties for Food Packaging. Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 191: 457-464.
9.       Beikzadeh, S., Khezerlou, A., Jafari, S. M., Pilevar, Z. and Mortazavian, A. M. 2020. Seed Mucilages as the Functional Ingredients for Biodegradable Films and Edible Coatings in the Food Industry. Adv. Colloid Interface Sci., 280: 102164.
10.    Bhardwaj, N. and Kundu, S. C. 2010. Electrospinning: A Fascinating Fiber Fabrication Technique. Biotechnol. Adv., 28(3): 325-347.
11.    Chrissafis, K., Antoniadis, G., Paraskevopoulos, K., Vassiliou, A. and Bikiaris, A. 2007. Comparative Study of the Effect of Different Nanoparticles on the Mechanical Properties and Thermal Degradation Mechanism of in Situ Prepared Poly(ε-Caprolactone) Nanocomposites. Compos. Sci. Technol., 67(10): 2165-2174.
12.    Chuysinuan, P., Chimnoi, N., Techasakul, S. and Supaphol, P. 2009. Gallic Acid‐Loaded Electrospun Poly(L‐Lactic Acid) Fiber Mats and Their Release Characteristic." Macromol. Chem. Phys., 210(10): 814-822.
13.    Delves-Broughton, J., Thomas, L. V., Doan, C. H.and Davidson, P. M. 2005. Natamycin. Food Sci. Technol. (N.Y.)., 145: 275.
14.    Fajardo, P., Martins, J., Fuciños, C., Pastrana, L., Teixeira, J. and Vicente, A. 2010. Evaluation of a Chitosan-Based Edible Film as Carrier of Natamycin to Improve the Storability of Saloio Cheese. J. Food Eng., 101(4): 349-356.
15.    Fang, Z. and Bhandari, B. 2010. Encapsulation of Polyphenols– A Review. Trends Food Sci Technol., 21(10): 510-523.
16.    Gandomi, H., Misaghi, A., Basti, A. A., Bokaei, S. Khosravi, A., Abbasifar, A. and Javan, A. J. 2009. Effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss. Essential Oil on Growth and Aflatoxin Formation by Aspergillus flavus in Culture Media and Cheese. Food Chem. Toxicol., 47(10): 2397-2400.
17.    Girija, B., Sailaja, R., Biswas, S. and Deepthi, M. 2010. Mechanical and Thermal Properties of EVA Blended with Biodegradable Ethyl Cellulose. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 116(2): 1044-1056.
18.    Gregorova, A., Machovsky, M. and Wimmer, R. 2012. Viscoelastic Properties of Mineral-Filled Poly(Lactic Acid) Composites. Int. J. Polym. Sci., 2012(252981): 1-6.
19.    Heidari, M., Bahrami, S. H., Ranjbar-Mohammadi, M. and Milan, P. 2019. Smart Electrospun Nanofibers Containing PCL/Gelatin/Graphene Oxide for Application in Nerve Tissue Engineering. Mat. Sci. Eng., 103: 109768.
20.    Jalilzadeh, A., Hesari, J., Peighambardoust, S. H. and Javidipour, I. 2020. The Effect of Whey Protein-Based Edible Coating Containing Natamycin and Lysozyme-Xanthan Gum Conjugate on the Shelf Life of Ultrafiltrated White Cheese. J. Food Bioprocess Eng., 3(2): 168-177.
21.    Javdani, H., Abedi-Firoozjah, R., Beikzadeh, S., Bahramian, B., Ebrahimi, A., Ehsani, A. and Tavassoli, M. 2025. Application of Chitosan/Polyvinyl Alcohol-Based Functional Films Integrated with Anthocyanins from Echium amoenum and Carbon Dots Derived from Onion Peel for Tracking Freshness and Increasing the Shelf Life of Red Meat Sample. Food Bioprocess Technol., 18(8): 7580-7603.
22.    Kenawy, E. -R., Bowlin, G. L., Mansfield, K., Layman, J., Simpson, D. G., Sanders, E. H. and Wnek, G. E. 2002. Release of Tetracycline Hydrochloride from Electrospun Poly (Ethylene-co-Vinylacetate), Poly(Lactic Acid), and a Blend. J. Control. Release (JCR), 81(1-2): 57-64.
23.    Koontz, J. L. and Marcy, J. E. 2003. Formation of Natamycin: Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes and Their Characterization. J. Agric. Food Chem., 51(24): 7106-7110.
24.    Kumar, R., Mishra, A. K., Dubey, N. and Tripathi, Y. 2007. Evaluation of Chenopodium ambrosioides Oil as a Potential Source of Antifungal, Antiaflatoxigenic and Antioxidant Activity. Int. J. Food Microbiol., 115(2): 159-164.
25.    Laura, A., Alvarez-Parrilla, E. and González-Aguilar, G. A. 2009. Fruit and Vegetable Phytochemicals: Chemistry, Nutritional Value and Stability. John Wiley and Sons.
26.    Li, D. and Xia, Y. 2004. Electrospinning of Nanofibers: Reinventing the Wheel?. J. Adv. Mater., 16(14): 1151-1170.
27.    Li, J., Kim, S. Y., Chen, X. and Park, H. J. 2016. Calcium-Alginate Beads Loaded with Gallic Acid: Preparation and Characterization. LWT-Food Sci. Technol., 68: 667-673.
28.    Liu, Y., Deng, L., Zhang, C., Feng, F. and Zhang, H. 2018. Tunable Physical Properties of Ethylcellulose/Gelatin Composite Nanofibers by Electrospinning. J. Agric. Food Chem., 66(8): 1907-1915.
29.    Mohammadi, M. A., Rostami, M., Beikzadeh, S., Raeisi, M., Tabibiazar, M. and Yousefi, M. 2018. Electrospun Nanofibers as Advanced Antibacterial Platforms: A Review of Recent Studies. Int. J. Pharm. Sci. Res., 10(2): 463-473.
30.    Neo, Y. P., Swift, S., Ray, S., Gizdavic-Nikolaidis, M., Jin, J. and Perera, C. O. 2013. Evaluation of Gallic Acid Loaded Zein Sub-Micron Electrospun Fibre Mats as Novel Active Packaging Materials. Food Chem., 141(3): 3192-3200.
31.    Nottagh, S., Hesari, J., Peighambardoust, S. H., Rezaei-Mokarram, R. and Jafarizadeh-Malmiri, H. 2020. Effectiveness of Edible Coating Based on Chitosan and Natamycin on Biological, Physico-Chemical and Organoleptic Attributes of Iranian Ultra-Filtrated Cheese. Biologia, 75: 605-611.
32.    Pilevar, Z., Bahrami, A., Beikzadeh, S., Hosseini, H. and Jafari, S. M. 2019. Migration of Styrene Monomer from Polystyrene Packaging Materials into Foods: Characterization and Safety Evaluation. Trends Food Sci Technol., 91: 248-261.
33.    Salević-Jelić, A., Lević, S., Prieto, C., Jeremić, S., Stevanović, S., Rac, V., Vukašinović, I., Nedović, V. and Lagaron, J. M. 2024. Polycaprolactone-Based Electrospun Films Incorporating Sage Extract: From Active Food Packaging Application to Accelerated Biodegradation by Pseudomonas. Future Foods, 10: 100465.
34.    Sheikhi, Z., Farhoodi, M., Beikzadeh, S., Kazemian-Bazkiaee, F., Shojaee-Aliabadi, S. and Mirmoghtadaie, L. 2020a. Effect of Using Cold Plasma Treatment on the Surface and Physicochemical Properties of Starch-chitosan Composite Film. Iran. J. Nutr. Sci. Food Technol. 15(1): 103-111. (in Persian with English Abstract)
35.    Sheikhi, Z., Mirmoghtadaie, L., Khani, M. R., Farhoodi, M., Beikzadeh, S., Abdolmaleki, K., Kazemian-Bazkiaee, F., Shokri, B. and Shojaee-Aliabadi, S. 2020b. Physicochemical Characterization of Argon Plasma-Treated Starch Film. J. Agric. Sci. Technol., 22(4): 999-1008.
36.    Shen, C., Cao, Y., Rao, J., Zou, Y., Zhang, H., Wu, D. and Chen, K. 2021. Application of Solution Blow Spinning to Rapidly Fabricate Natamycin-Loaded Gelatin/Zein/Polyurethane Antimicrobial Nanofibers for Food Packaging. Food Packag. Shelf Life., 29: 100721.
37.    Sill, T. J. and Von Recum, H. A. 2008. Electrospinning: Applications in Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering. Biomaterials, 29(13): 1989-2006.
38.    Titone, V., Ceraulo, M., Lopresti, F., Garofalo, G., Gaglio, R., Mistretta, M. C. and Botta, L. 2025. Use of Natamycin for the Development of Polymer Systems with Antifungal Activity for Packaging Applications. Polymers, 17(5): 686.
39.    Türe, H., Eroğlu, E., Soyer, F. and Özen, B. 2008. Antifungal Activity of Biopolymers Containing Natamycin and Rosemary Extract against Aspergillus niger and Penicillium roquefortii. Int. J. Food Sci. Technol., 43(11): 2026-2032.
40.    Veras, F. F., Ritter, A. C., Roggia, I., Pranke, P., Pereira, C. N. and Brandelli, A. 2020. Natamycin-Loaded Electrospun Poly(ε-Caprolactone) Nanofibers as an Innovative Platform for Antifungal Applications. SN Appl. Sci., 2(6): 1-14.
41.    Veras, F. F., I. Roggia, P. Pranke, C. N. Pereira and A. Brandelli. 2016. Inhibition of Filamentous Fungi by Ketoconazole-Functionalized Electrospun Nanofibers. Eur. J. Pharm. Sci., 84: 70-76.
42.   Wang, P., Li, Y., Zhang, C., Feng, F. and Zhang, H. 2020. Sequential Electrospinning of Multilayer Ethylcellulose/Gelatin/Ethylcellulose Nanofibrous Film for Sustained Release of Curcumin. Food Chem., 308: 125599.
 
Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology
Volume 28, Issue 5
September and October 2026
Pages 1113-1129