Electrospun Gelatin/ OSA ‐Starch Nanofibers for Encapsulation and Controlled Release of Sage Extract

ABSTRACT In recent years, increasing research efforts have focused on assessing the potential of polymeric nanofibers to improve the bioavailability and stability of active agents via encapsulation. In this study, gelatin (GL) and octenyl succinic anhydride‐modified starch (OS‐ST) were employed to fabricate GL/OS‐ST nanofibers incorporating 5% (v/v) sage extract (SE). GL/OS‐ST solutions with ratios of 100/0, 90/10, 70/30, 60/40, and 50/50 (w/w) were prepared for electrospinning. The results showed that increasing the OS‐ST content decreases both the viscosity of the blended solution and the nanofiber diameter, with the latter reaching approximately 231.62 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed hydrogen bonding between GL and OS‐ST, as well as the successful incorporation of SE into the nanofibers. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that SE incorporation did not induce crystallization in the polymer chains, and that all nanofibers exhibited amorphous structures, confirming the homogeneous dispersion of SE. Antioxidant activity assays demonstrated sustained SE release over 48 h, achieving a radical scavenging activity of 72.3% ± 3%. Overall, the prepared nanofibers effectively retarded SE release. The optimal GL/OS‐ST ratio (70:30) produced uniform fibers with high encapsulation efficiency (87.5% ± 2.1%), underscoring the potential of these nanofibers as delivery systems for bioactive compounds in functional foods.