A High‐Efficiency Yet Sustainable Fresh‐Keeping Strategy Inspired by Calyx of Physalis peruviana
11 affiliations
- 1Department of Laboratory Medicine Chongqing Center for Clinical Laboratory School of Medicine Chongqing Academy of Medical Sciences Chongqing General Hospital Chongqing University Chongqing China
- 2Institute of Bast Fiber Crops & Center of Southern Economic Crops Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Changsha China
- 3Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Shenzhen China
- 4Department of Biomedical Engineering National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
- 5School of Flexible Electronics Sun Yat‐Sen University Shenzhen China China
- 6South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology South China University of Technology Guangzhou China
- 7Department of Food Science and Engineering Jilin Agricultural University Jilin China
- 8School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering Xiangtan University Hunan China
- 9State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers Department of Macromolecular Science Fudan University Shanghai China
- 10Department of Food Science & Technology National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
- 11College of Food Science and Technology Nanjing Agricultural University Nanjing China
Abstract
To address the dual challenges of foodborne illness and plastic pollution, we present a sprayable, calyx‐inspired food wrap engineered for safety and sustainability. Utilizing handheld electrospraying, zeolite‐doped polycaprolactone forms a multi‐scale network mimicking Physalis peruviana’s protective structure. This polycaprolactone/chitosan/zeolite wrap provides a health‐critical barrier, achieving >95% inhibition of tobacco mosaic virus and >92% antibacterial efficacy against pathogens such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, it maintains high breathability (∼1500 g·m−2·day−1) to prevent food spoilage. Crucially, the wrap is non‐toxic and fully biodegradable within 180 days, eliminating microplastic risks. In real‐world validation, it extended the shelf life of perishable fruits by >7 days without quality loss, reducing food waste. Life cycle assessment confirmed an 84.97% reduction in CO2 emissions compared with conventional wraps, directly contributing to environmental health. This technology offers a scalable solution for sustainable nutrition security through a user‐friendly application, enhanced food safety, and rapid environmental degradation.
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BibTeX
@article{zhao2026highefficiency,
title = {{A High‐Efficiency Yet Sustainable Fresh‐Keeping Strategy Inspired by Calyx of Physalis peruviana}},
author = {Yue Zhao and Chengbang Lu and Xiaopeng Bai and Shangyi Wu and Zeyu Wang and Yuqin Hu and Binxin Liang and Danlei Sun and Yunxiang Zhang and Yingning He and Yi Yang and Shengwen Duan and Taolin Sun and Xinjie Wang and Weijie Lan and Hong Zhang and Yang Luo and Xiangyu Liang},
journal = {Exploration},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1002/exp.20250786},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/exp.20250786},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A High‐Efficiency Yet Sustainable Fresh‐Keeping Strategy Inspired by Calyx of Physalis peruviana
AU - Yue Zhao
AU - Chengbang Lu
AU - Xiaopeng Bai
AU - Shangyi Wu
AU - Zeyu Wang
AU - Yuqin Hu
AU - Binxin Liang
AU - Danlei Sun
AU - Yunxiang Zhang
AU - Yingning He
AU - Yi Yang
AU - Shengwen Duan
AU - Taolin Sun
AU - Xinjie Wang
AU - Weijie Lan
AU - Hong Zhang
AU - Yang Luo
AU - Xiangyu Liang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/29
JO - Exploration
DO - 10.1002/exp.20250786
UR - https://doi.org/10.1002/exp.20250786
AB - To address the dual challenges of foodborne illness and plastic pollution, we present a sprayable, calyx‐inspired food wrap engineered for safety and sustainability. Utilizing handheld electrospraying, zeolite‐doped polycaprolactone forms a multi‐scale network mimicking Physalis peruviana’s protective structure. This polycaprolactone/chitosan/zeolite wrap provides a health‐critical barrier, achieving >95% inhibition of tobacco mosaic virus and >92% antibacterial efficacy against pathogens such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, it maintains high breathability (∼1500 g·m−2·day−1) to prevent food spoilage. Crucially, the wrap is non‐toxic and fully biodegradable within 180 days, eliminating microplastic risks. In real‐world validation, it extended the shelf life of perishable fruits by >7 days without quality loss, reducing food waste. Life cycle assessment confirmed an 84.97% reduction in CO2 emissions compared with conventional wraps, directly contributing to environmental health. This technology offers a scalable solution for sustainable nutrition security through a user‐friendly application, enhanced food safety, and rapid environmental degradation.
SN - 2766-8509
SN - 2766-2098
ER -