Electrospinning of double-layer chitosan-flaxseed mucilage nanofibers for sustained release of Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil and sesame oil

Abstract The aims of the current study were to evaluate the physical, mechanical, structural, morphological, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties of chitosan-flaxseed mucilage (CH-FM) nanofibers enriched with Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil (ZEO; 0, 0.25, and 0.75 ml/100 ml) and sesame oil (SO; 0 and 0.75 ml/100 ml). Based on scanning electron microscopy images, the incorporation of ZEO 0.5 ml/100 ml, SO 0.75 ml/100 ml, and SO 0.75 ml/100 ml + ZEO 0.5 ml/100 ml caused an increase in the average diameters of the corresponding nanofibers. The atomic force microscopy images also showed smoother structures for nanofibers supplemented with ZEO and SO compared to the control group. The highest antimicrobial and antioxidant activities were found in CH-FM + ZEO 0.5 ml/100 ml + SO 0.75 ml/100 ml. The fabricated nanofibers had tensile strength, puncture force, puncture deformation, water vapor transmission rate, water vapor permeability, and swelling index ranging 3.52–5.55 MPa, 4.24–8.01 N, 1.15–3.45 mm, 25.01–47.49 g/m2 h, 7.98–14.08 × 10‾4 g mm/m2 h Pa, and 19.41–41.35%, respectively. Encapsulated ZEO and SO could also diffuse out slowly but durably from the nanofibers within 96 h. Our findings can give insights regarding prepared novel nanofibers containing antimicrobial/antioxidant compounds for food packaging applications.