Pinus sylvestris Essential Oil-Loaded Gelatin–Chitosan–Snail Slime Nanofibrous Mats for Active Food Packaging Applications

Developing biodegradable and functional polymeric materials for active food packaging is essential to mitigate the environmental burden of petroleum-based plastics. In this context, gelatin/chitosan (G–Ch) nanofibrous mats were fabricated via solution blow spinning (SBS) and functionalized with snail slime (SS) and Pinus sylvestris essential oil (PSEO) to enhance their bioactivity and barrier performance. SS is rich in glycoproteins and natural bioactive compounds, while PSEO is characterized by terpene-based antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. SS and PSEO were incorporated into the G–Ch polymeric matrix to enhance the bioactivity, structural functionality and preservation performance of the nanofibrous mats. Three formulations (G–Ch, G–Ch–SS, and G–Ch–SS–10PSEO) were designed to elucidate the influence of snail slime and essential oil incorporation on the structure–property–function relationships of the nanofibrous mats. Morphological analysis revealed a smooth and bead-free fibrous structure across all formulations. The average fiber diameter (AFD) increased from 191.83 nm for G–Ch to 263.88 nm for G–Ch–SS and 295.83 nm for G–Ch–SS–10PSEO. FTIR and XRD analyses showed the physical encapsulation of the active compounds without significant chemical interactions. Furthermore, the incorporation of PSEO increased surface hydrophobicity and reduced air permeability, indicating the formation of a more compact fibrous structure with enhanced barrier properties. The functional performance of the nanofibrous mats was significantly improved by the addition of snail slime and PSEO. The G–Ch–SS–10PSEO formulation exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, reaching 36.8% for DPPH and 42.7% for ABTS, along with enhanced antibacterial efficacy against both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Application tests on chicken wings demonstrated that the bioactive nanofibers effectively suppressed microbial growth, limited pH increases, and reduced lipid oxidation during 14 days of refrigerated storage. Overall, the results demonstrate that the synergistic integration of snail slime and essential oil within a biodegradable polymer matrix provides a promising strategy for designing active nanofibrous materials with enhanced structural and bioactive properties for sustainable food-packaging applications.