Research Progress on Nanocellulose-Stabilized Essential Oil Pickering Emulsions in Bio-Based Food Packaging Films

With increasing consumer demand for food safety and quality preservation, coupled with stricter environmental regulations, the development of food packaging materials that combine environmental friendliness with functional activity has become a research hotspot. Nanocellulose-stabilized essential oil Pickering emulsions demonstrate broad prospects in active food packaging due to their excellent emulsion stability, biocompatibility, and controlled release properties. This paper reviews the sources, preparation, and performance characteristics of nanocellulose, and explains its stabilization mechanism and structural characteristics in different essential oil emulsion systems. The effects of essential oil emulsions on the microstructure, optical properties, mechanical properties, barrier properties, and functionality of bio-based films are discussed, and their application in food preservation is summarized. Studies have shown that nanocellulose significantly improves emulsion stability and the sustained-release properties of encapsulated essential oil, thereby imparting long-lasting antimicrobial and antioxidant properties to the films. This review provides new insights and technical support for the development of high-performance, sustainable active food packaging.