Strengthening eco-friendly packaging from pectin by filling with poly( -caprolactone) nanoparticles and tailoring the degree of methyl-esterification

In light of the environmental damage caused by conventional polymers and the challenge of making polysaccharides competitive in food packaging, there is a growing investment in the development of nanoparticles to enhance their physicochemical properties. Further advancing this concept, we have produced poly( -caprolactone) nanoparticles (PCLNPs) via solvent displacement and incorporated them into low- and high-methoxyl pectin films by solvent casting. The PCLNPs display a quasi-spherical morphology with a uniform size ( ca. 300 nm), exhibiting excellent colloidal stability due to their hydrophobic PCL core and a hydrophilic Tween 80 surface. PCLNPs moderately improved the thermal stability (reaching ca. 250 °C) and preserved the water vapor barrier (