Robust Electrospinning-Constructed Cellulose Acetate@Anthocyanin Ultrafine Fibers: Synthesis, Characterization, and Controlled Release Properties

Anthocyanin has attracted increasing attention due to its superior biological activity. However, the inherently poor stability of anthocyanin limits its practical applications. In this study, a fast and straightforward method was developed to improve the stability of anthocyanin. Cellulose acetate ultrafine fiber-loaded anthocyanin (CA@Anthocyanin UFs) was prepared by robust electrospinning, and the potential application of cellulose acetate ultrafine fibers (CA UFs) as a bioactive substance delivery system was comprehensively investigated. The experimental results showed that CA@Anthocyanin UFs had protective effects on anthocyanin against temperature, light, and pH. The results of the artificially simulated gastric fluid (pH = 2.0) indicated that the CA@Anthocyanin UFs had a controllable release influence on anthocyanin. A 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay suggested that the CA@Anthocyanin UFs still had an excellent antioxidant activity similar to anthocyanin. This work demonstrated the potential application of robust electrospinning-constructed cellulose acetate ultrafine fibers in bioactive substance delivery and controlled release systems, as well as its prospects in green packaging due to the nature of this environmentally friendly composite.