Thymol encapsulated Pickering emulsion coated paper for enhancing cherry tomato preservation performance

Thymol, a natural phenolic compound with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and high antioxidant capacity, faces limitations in food preservation due to its volatility. This study developed a thymol-loaded Pickering emulsion stabilized by zein/pectin (ZP) composite colloidal particles. The effects of thymol concentration (0.5 to 2.5 wt%) on encapsulation efficiency, colloidal stability, and functional properties were investigated. The resultant functionalized paper was evaluated for cherry tomato preservation. Optimal performance was achieved at 2 wt% thymol, yielding a high encapsulation efficiency of 91.4% and superior stability. The paper demonstrated robust antimicrobial efficacy, sustained release, and a 98.2% DPPH radical scavenging efficacy. In storage trials, it significantly outperformed controls by better maintaining firmness, mitigating weight loss, and reducing the spoilage rate to 7.3% after 15 days, while most effectively preserving soluble solids content. This work demonstrates the ZP particle-stabilized, thymol-loaded Pickering emulsion-based paper as a highly effective strategy for postharvest preservation.