Carboxymethyl chitosan/peach gum polysaccharide packaging film incorporating Citrus sinensis essential oil effectively enhances the quality preservation of strawberries

Developing food packaging films loaded with plant extracts is a research hotspot. As natural preservatives, essential oils possess potent antibacterial and antioxidant properties. However, films loaded with essential oils face challenges in use for food preservation and flavor perception because of the strong aroma and volatility of components of the oils. In this study, natural, nontoxic Citrus sinensis essential oil (CSEO) was incorporated into blended films composed of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) and peach gum polysaccharide (PGP), and the film properties were characterized. The CMCS/PGP films exhibited favorable performance (e.g., flexibility and antimicrobial activity). Addition of CSEO significantly improved the ultraviolet (UV)-barrier, oxidation resistance, hydrophobicity, and antimicrobial properties of the composite films. CPC1.0 film (containing 50:50 CMCS/PGP [w/w] and 1.0 % CSEO) showed enhanced elongation at break (99.59 ± 1.22 %), UV barrier performance (>85 % at 0.2–0.4 μm), and bactericidal activity (99.12 % for Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) and 93.62 % for Escherichia coli(E.coli)) compared with CMCS films. Packaging strawberries in CPC1.0 film maintained TSS (7.10 ± 0.26) and TA (0.77 ± 0.03) of the fruit, particularly flavor, resulting in a shelf-life of 6–8 days at room temperature. In soil, CPC1.0 film degraded by 78.53 % (by weight) in 10 days. This study shows that C. sinensis essential oil-loaded CMCS/PGP film has potential for application in fruit preservation and flavor retention.