Carboxymethyl cellulose composite film incorporated Ag@MOF-cinnamaldehyde for Lactifluus volemus packaging application.

To extend shelf life of Lactifluus volemus, Ag@MOF loaded with cinnamaldehyde (CIN) was prepared and embedded into carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to develop antimicrobial films. The physicochemical properties of composite films were evaluated, along with their practical performance in Lactifluus volemus preservation. Compared with the CMC film, the CMC/Ag@MOF-CIN film exhibited better performance, including enhanced mechanical strength, barrier property, and antioxidant capacity, while showing reduced moisture content and water solubility. The CMC/6Ag@MOF-CIN composite film demonstrated 16.71% increase in tensile strength and 55.47% increase in elongation at break. The water vapour permeability decreased to 0.22 ± 0.01 g·mm/m2·h·kPa, while oxygen permeability dropped to 18.67 ± 0.29%. Notably, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties improved by 68% and 45.49%, respectively. The composite films also exhibited controlled-release functionality. When applied to Lactifluus volemus preservation, the composite films effectively reduced weight loss, maintained higher activities of antioxidant enzymes, suppressed the activities of lipid peroxidation-related enzymes, and inhibited the growth of spoilage microorganisms. These findings demonstrated the potential of the CMC/Ag@MOF-CIN composite films as active packaging materials for Lactifluus volemus mushroom and other perishable foods.