Fuente: PubMed "Tomato process" Int J Biol Macromol. 2026 Mar 24;357:151626. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.151626. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTDespite the promise of gelatin films incorporated with bioactive essential oils for fruit preservation, the volatility, instability, and incompatibility of essential oils limit their practical applications. This study proposed a poly(tannic acid) (PTA)-mediated interfacial bridging strategy that enhanced the compatibility and stability of grapefruit essential oil (GEO) in gelatin films, maintaining ideal physical properties and bioactivity for fruit preservation. Specifically, PTA with a high aspect ratio, synthesized via tannic acid self-assembly, exhibited optimal wettability (90.4°) and high surface charge capacity, serving as an efficient stabilizer for encapsulating GEO in Pickering emulsions (PEs). Additionally, PTA-stabilized PEs were employed to activate gelatin matrices, forming bioactive films (PG-10). Structural characterization combined with density functional theory calculations revealed that PTA in the PEs acted as novel molecular bridges, facilitating emulsion incorporation into the film matrix and promoting dense structure formation through strong hydrogen bonding interactions. Consequently, the films demonstrated significantly enhanced mechanical properties (2.36-fold increase in tensile strength) and superior barrier performance (67.57% reduction in oxygen permeability). Additionally, the emulsions endowed gelatin films with exceptional UV-blocking capability (0% transmittance at 200-300 nm) and improved antioxidant properties (1.28-1.72-fold increase). The PG-10 films exhibited excellent broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, effectively inhibiting Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Botrytis cinerea (a distinct inhibition zone formed around the composite film). As fruit packaging, these films significantly extended the shelf life of both climacteric (cherry tomatoes) and non-climacteric (grapes) fruits by 1.6- to 2.5-fold. This study addressed the incompatibility between films and essential oils, pioneering strategies for developing advanced gelatin-based packaging.PMID:41887427 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.151626