Nanofibrous colorimetric sensors, owing to their high sensitivity, fast response time, an‎d ability to detect subtle thermal an‎d chemical variations, are regarded as efficient an‎d innovative tools for monitoring food quality an‎d detecting spoilage. In this study, biodegradable polycaprolactone was selec‎ted as the base polymer an‎d polyethylene glycol as an auxiliary polymer. These were dissolved together with the natural colorant curcumin—known for its color-changing ability in response to chemical conditions—in a solvent mixture of chloroform an‎d methanol. Optimized nanofibers were fabricated using the electrospinning method, with a nozzle-to-collector distance of 20 cm, an applied voltage of 15 kV, an‎d a variable feed rate between 0.4 an‎d 0.7 mL/h (depending on viscosity). The average fiber diameter, measured from 100 fibers, ranged between 540 an‎d 750 nm. Curcumin, exhibiting high sensitivity to pH an‎d temperature variations, enabled rapid an‎d non-destructive detection of food spoilage stages, with a visible color change in alkaline environments (pH 8–12). Calorimetric experiments under controlled conditions confirmed the sensor’s fast response an‎d high accuracy in detecting temperature an‎d chemical changes associated with spoilage. Moreover, the prepared nanofibers were biodegradable, which can significantly contribute to reducing the environmental impact of conventional packaging materials. The results demonstrated the high potential of the nanofibrous colorimetric sensor as an economical, eco-friendly, an‎d efficient solution for intelligent packaging an‎d food quality monitoring systems. The best-performing sensor sample was the one containing 1% curcumin.

حسين ايزدان , حسين توانايي

مهدي بازرگاني پور

حسين فشندي , حسن محمدي