Highly antimicrobial composite gelatin film: One-step preparation for food packaging preservation

With the increasing public awareness of food safety and environmental protection, balancing freshness and biodegradability in food packaging materials remains a challenge. In this study, a novel highly antimicrobial composite gelatin film (GDL film) was prepared by a one-step method. The Maillard reactions between d-glucose and gelatin, as well as between d-glucose and ε-polylysine (ε-PL), endowed the GDL film with exceptional antibacterial properties (99 %), ultraviolet resistance (99.95 %), and strong antioxidant activity. The experiment proved that the GDL film could effectively prevent mold and decay in grapes and strawberries during the 7-day freshness and storage period. Additionally, the multiple hydrogen bonds (between gelatin and ε-PL, glycerol and gelatin, and glycerol and ε-PL) within the film structure endowed the GDL film with superior mechanical properties, including a tensile strength of up to 6.7 MPa and an elongation at break of up to 173 %. Furthermore, the GDL film could rapidly degrade within 5–8 days under natural conditions, making it highly promising for application in food packaging and preservation.