Posted by The incorporation of inclusion complexes into films, hydrogels as pads is an effective approach for developing antimicrobial active packaging for fruits, meat and fish. Electrospun nanofibrous films incorporating plant essential oils (EOs) offer a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic packaging by enhancing food preservation while mitigating environmental burdens. These films leverage the tunable colloidal properties of food-grade biopolymers (e.g., chitosan, gelatin, zein, PLA, PVA) to encapsulate EOs, enabling controlled release via high surface area, adjustable porosity, and bioactive stabilization. The review of Yang et al. (2026) examines advanced electrospinning strategies—including emulsification, coaxial processing, and particle encapsulation—alongside polymer matrix design and colloidal carriers (e.g., cyclodextrins, MOFs, SiO2 nanoparticles) to optimize release kinetics, mechanical integrity, and barrier functionality. Innovations in stimuli-responsive systems (humidity, pH, temperature) further enhance precision in antimicrobial and antioxidant delivery.
Recently more and more work appear on the application of CD-based metal–organic frameworks (CD-MOFs) in packaging allowing the combination of the inclusion complexation ability of CDs with the high porosity and tunable structure of MOFs. CD-MOFs tend to exhibit strong gas adsorption capacity for ethylene and carbon dioxide, high loading efficiency for volatile antimicrobials, and adjustable release behaviors under controlled humidity or temperature. When incorporated into films or electrospun fibers, they provide more stable application formats suitable for indirect contact with food. (Listyaningrum et al. 2026).
Some examples published recently:
| Active | CD | Base material | Food | Result | Reference |
| Apigenin | γ-CD-MOF | konjac glucomannan and chitosan | blackberry | reduced postharvest decy | Hong et al. 2026 |
| Carvacrol | β-CD | alginate hydrogels | chicken | extended shelf life | Silva et al. 2026 |
| Curcumin | γ-CD-MOF | carboxymethyl cellulose /polyvinyl alcohol | fish (crucian carp) | color change for freshness monitoring | Fa et al. 2026 |
| Eucalyptus essential oil | β -CD | polyvinyl alcohol and konjac glucomannan | cherries | preservation of freshness | Shen et al. 2025 |
| Litsea cubeba essential oil | β-CD | polylactic acid nanofiber films | Chinese bayberry | microbial and insects resistance | He et al. 2025 |
| Shikonin | modified γ-CD-MOF | soy lipophilic protein/HPMC | salmon | improved storage stability | Sun et al. 2026 |
| Trans-2-hexenal | γ-CD-MOF | sodium alginate/pullulan composite films | strawberry | antifungal effect, extended shelf life | Jiang et al. 2026 |
| Vitamin E | highly branched cyclodextrin (HBCD) | κ-carrageenan | functional food | double-package delivery system | Ma et al. 2026 |
References:
Fa, T., Zhang, L., Wang, G. (2026) Indicator packaging film based on carboxymethyl cellulose sodium incorporating curcumin-laded γ-cyclodextrin metal–organic framework for real-time assessment of fish quality. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 335, Part 1, 148893. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.148893.
He, J.T., Zhu, M.X., Yang, C.H., Li, W., Deng, J., Lin, Q.L. (2025) A dual-functional antifungal and anti-Drosophila polylactic acid nanofibers film loaded with Litsea cubeba essential oil/β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex for Chinese bayberry preservation. Food Chemistry 495, Part 2, 146425.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146425.
Hong, W., Wang, Z., Zhang, Q., Lei, X., Zhang, H. Wang, J., Jia, Z., Cai, Y., Sun, Y., Pang, J. (2026) Construction of konjac glucomannan-based packaging films loaded with API@CD-MOF for blackberry preservation. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 729, 138937. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2025.138937.
Jiang, N., Gao, Y., Qi, H., Wang, L., Li, S., Jiang, D., Wang, M. (2026) A polysaccharide-based film synergistically reinforced by γ-cyclodextrin metal-organic framework embedded with trans-2-hexenal for extending shelf life of strawberry. Food Hydrocolloids 173, 112239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.112239.
Listyaningrum, R.S., Adi, P., Mulyani, R., Tsai, S.Y., Yudhistira, B., Hsieh, C.W. (2026) Current status and future directions on cyclodextrin-based metal–organic frameworks for adsorption and controlled release of gaseous/volatiles in active food packaging. Trends in Food Science & Technology 167, 105456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2025.105456.
Ma, W., Liu, W., Yuan, C., Cui, B., Liu, Y., Guo, L., Yu, B., Zhao, M., Zou, F. (2026) A double-package delivery system based on κ-carrageenan hydrogels and vitamin E/highly branched cyclic dextrin composites: Structural characteristics and release behavior. Food Chemistry 498, Part 2, 147266.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.147266
Shen, H., Zhou, X., Gao, Y., Lyu, L., Wang, G., Qian, Y. (2025) Biodegradability and barrier properties of polyvinyl alcohol and Konjac glucomannan composite films loaded with eucalyptus essential oil@β-Cyclodextrin for sustainable food packaging. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 334, Part 1, 149053. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.149053.
Silva, T., Rodríguez-Mercado, F., Guarda, A. et al. Enhanced Shelf Life of Chicken Fillets using an Active Pad Based on Alginate Hydrogel Containing a β-Cyclodextrin/Carvacrol Inclusion Complex. Food Bioprocess Technol 19, 44 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-025-04158-0
Sun, Y., Xu, H., Ma, Y., Hou, Y., Cheng, S., Tan, M., Chang, J., Wang, H. (2026) Films for salmon freshness monitor, prepared with lipophilic soy protein, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and octadecenylsuccinic anhydride-modified γ-cyclodextrin-MOF loaded with shikonin,
Food Hydrocolloids 170, 111752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111752
Yang, T., Marangoni Jr, R., Vieira, R.P. , Ananthi, P., Li, S., Raj, A. K. V., Roy, S., Xia, G. (2026) Hydrocolloid-based stimuli-responsive nanofiber films: Precision-controlled release of essential oils for sustainable food packaging. Current Research in Food Science 12, 101260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101260.