Not long ago, the Resource Insect Product Processing and Functional Evaluation Innovation Team of the Bee Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences prepared sustainable active food packaging materials of chitosan and mealworm protein loaded with propolis ethanol extract and explored its application in fruit preservation. . Relevant results were published in the journal Carbohydrate Polymers .

　　At present, the widespread use of petroleum-based plastics has caused serious environmental pollution and the depletion of non-renewable resources. Choosing natural biodegradable polymers to replace petrochemical-based plastics has become a research hotspot. Chitosan ( CS ), as a natural and renewable cationic polysaccharide, is considered to be one of the best candidate materials for the production of bio-based antimicrobial packaging due to its low cost and easy industrial preparation. However, the inherent limitations and single functions of chitosan, such as poor mechanical properties and barrier properties, limit its wide application. As the first new insect resource food approved by the EU, mealworm molitor is rich in protein and has good emulsification, foaming and gelling properties. However, we have not yet found mealworm protein ( TMP ) in active food packaging. application. Therefore, this study chose to combine chitosan with mealworm protein to prepare active food packaging materials. In order to further improve the performance of the composite film, especially the antioxidant and antibacterial activity, we chose to add propolis ethanol extract ( PEE ) to the chitosan and mealworm protein composite film to enhance the functional activity of the composite film and prolong the life of the fruit. shelf life.

In this study, a sustainable green antibacterial food packaging material loaded with propolis ethanol extract was developed using chitosan and mealworm protein as the matrix to improve the shelf life of perishable fruits. The results show that the addition of propolis ethanol extract makes the composite film have excellent visible light transparency, mechanical properties, water vapor barrier properties, thermal stability, biodegradability and strong antioxidant and antibacterial activity, and with the increase of its content Enhance. In addition, the functional composite film prepared in this study can effectively extend the shelf life of strawberries. Therefore, as a green active packaging material, the functional composite film loaded with propolis ethanol extract not only expands the application of post-harvest fruit preservation, but also explores the broad application prospects of mealworm protein in the food packaging industry.