Electroblown Nanofibers Incorporating Plant-Derived Carbon Dots and Anthocyanins for Monitoring Chicken Freshness

Food spoilage in perishable products like chicken poses serious safety and economic challenges. Conventional packaging offers limited protection and lacks real-time freshness detection. Smart packaging using natural indicators provides an eco-friendly solution for monitoring food quality. Anthocyanins, as pH-sensitive pigments, can visually indicate spoilage, while plant-derived carbon dots (CDs) offer fluorescence, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Integrating these bioactives into electroblown nanofibers enables the creation of biodegradable, responsive materials suitable for intelligent packaging applications. In this study, multifunctional electroblown nanofiber mats incorporating Consolida orientalis-derived anthocyanins (CoD) and carbon dots (CDs) were fabricated using electro-blowing technology to serve as smart indicators for monitoring the freshness of chicken fillets. CoD and CDs, derived from a single plant source, provided dual functionality, combining pH-responsiveness, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activity within a biodegradable poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix. Physicochemical properties of the nanofibers were analyzed, including morphology (Scanning Electron Microscopy), chemical structure (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), thermal stability (Thermogravimetric Analysis), crystallinity (X-ray Diffraction), mechanical strength, hydrophilicity, and air permeability, confirming structural integrity and suitability for packaging. Cytotoxicity assays revealed minimal toxicity, ensuring CD biocompatibility for food-contact applications. The mats showed a distinct colorimetric response to pH changes, correlating with microbial spoilage in chicken fillets stored under refrigeration. Total viable and psychrotrophic counts exceeded 7 log CFU/g by day 10, corresponding to a pH rise from 5.71 to 7.90 and a ΔE of 21.78, confirming the mats’ effectiveness as real-time spoilage indicators. The integration of plant-derived bioactives and nanotechnology in these mats offers a scalable, sustainable, intelligent packaging solution, enhancing food preservation and providing consumers with real-time freshness assessment for perishable foods.