Abstract BACKGROUND As the demand for eco‐friendly food packaging rises, biodegradable electrospun fiber membranes have attracted wide attention. However, existing single‐component membranes face limitations such as insufficient mechanical properties, unstable functional release, and weak antioxidant/antibacterial activity. This work innovatively created a polylactic acid (PLA)/gelatin/ethyl cellulose ternary electrospun fiber membrane (PEG) by encasing low‐cost citric acid (CA) and vitamin E/hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (VE/HP‐β‐CD) complexes to enhance functionality and stability. RESULTS Scanning electron microscopy showed satisfactory compatibility with uniform, defect‐free fibers. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction confirmed the successful encapsulation of VE in HP‐β‐CD, and interactions with the polymer matrix altered the crystalline structure. Thermal analysis revealed enhanced thermal stability, with the decomposition temperature increasing from 340 to 349 °C. As CA and VE/HP‐β‐CD content increased, the membrane's contact angle decreased, elastic modulus rose (from 18.3 to 60.7 MPa), and elongation at break improved (from 53.8% to 103.7%). Functional tests showed slow continuous release of VE within 200 h, 73.9% DPPH (1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl) scavenging, and increased antibacterial activity. Both MTT (3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and live/dead assays showed >90% viability for PEG films. In strawberry preservation, the membrane extended its shelf life by 8 days, improving quality. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate that the combined encapsulation of CA and VE/HP‐β‐CD and their interactions with the matrix successfully optimized the material structure, properties, and functionality, offering a sustainable direction for developing eco‐friendly, functional packaging materials. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.
Wang et al. (2026) studied this question.