Sprayable, washable, and light-perceptible hydrogels with AIE activity constructed by co-assembly of natural glycyrrhizic acid and berberine for fruit preservation

The decay of fruits poses a great challenge to the global food industry, exacerbating food shortages, environmental pollution, and health hazards, while attempts to mitigate this issue with chemical additives often lead to additional health and environmental concerns. To address this, GL and BBR were co-assembled into nanofibrils hydrogels for fruit preservation, driven by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. The obtained GL/BBR hydrogels exhibit AIE activity and generate ROS under white light, providing strong bactericidal effects against E. coli and S. aureus. Notably, the hydrogels sprayed on the fruit's surface are transparent, block UV rays, and are easily washable, allowing the fruit's cleanliness to be visually inspected through fluorescence under ultraviolet light. With excellent biocompatibility, GL/BBR hydrogels maintain fruit freshness and quality, significantly extending storage life compared to untreated groups. These properties make them promising bioactive materials for sustainable fruit preservation. [Display omitted] •Co-assembly of natural active small molecules formed sprayable nanofibrils hydrogels.•Hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions were the main driving forces.•The hydrogels showed enhanced synergistic and diverse functionalities.•The hydrogel showed good preservation effect on perishable fruits.