Stearic acid modified nanofiber membranes for flavor improvement of oyster enzymatic hydrolysates: structural characterization and selective adsorption deodorization

The strong fishy odor of oyster enzymatic hydrolysates (OEHs) severely limits their consumer acceptability. In this study, electrospun nanofiber membranes were prepared using octenylsuccinylated starch and pullulan as raw materials, followed by hydrophobic modification via stearic acid (STA) soaking. With increasing STA soaking time (0-6 h), the as-spun membranes exhibited an increased average thickness (132.16-157.84 μm) and average fiber diameter (131.75-341.39 nm). STA modified nanofiber membranes exhibited significantly improved adsorption capacity for the characteristic off-odor compounds of OEHs (e.g. aldehydes and alkanes). Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive relationship (<i>p</i> < 0.05) between the average thickness/fiber diameter of the nanofiber membranes and their deodorization efficiency toward alkanes and aldehydes. This improvement is attributed to reinforced hydrogen bonding interactions. Moreover, ultra-hydrophobic electrospun nanofiber membranes with water contact angles ranging from 27.72° to 104.11° were successfully prepared. These nanofiber membranes exhibited selective deodorization performance, offering an environmentally-friendly strategy for deodorizing aquatic products and improving their flavor quality.