Polysaccharides as wall material for the encapsulation of essential oils by electrospun technique

Electrospinning is a versatile, inexpensive and reliable technique for the synthesis of nanometric fibers or particles from polymeric solutions, under a high voltage electric field. The use of natural polysaccharides such as starch, chitosan, pectin, alginate, pullulan, cellulose and dextran as polymeric materials allows the formation of biodegradable fibers and capsules. Bioactive compounds extracted from natural sources, such as essential oils, have been widely studied due to their antioxidant, antimicrobial and antifungal properties. The combination of natural polymers and the electrospinning technique allows the production of structures capable of incorporating these bioactive compounds, which are highly sensitive to degradation reactions. This review describes several approaches to the development of nanofibers and nanocapsules from polysaccharides and the possibility of incorporating hydrophobic compounds, such as essential oils. The review also discusses the use of electrosprayed products incorporated with essential oils for direct application in food or for use as active food packaging.

Automated summary

This review explores the application of electrospinning technology in the synthesis of nanometric fibers or particles from polymeric solutions under a high voltage electric field. It also discusses the use of natural polysaccharides in combination with the electrospinning technique to produce biodegradable structures capable of incorporating bioactive compounds, such as essential oils, and the potential for direct application in food or as active food packaging.