Antimicrobial packaging reduces the
extent of microbial contamination;
however, conventional antimicrobial packaging, which releases antimicrobial
agents into food, may experience rapid agent depletion and can adversely
affect food flavors. In this study, a novel photocatalytic antimicrobial
nanofiber film embedded with Rose Bengal (RB) dye that generates reactive
oxygen species (ROS) in visible light was designed for inactivating
microorganisms. The film’s antimicrobial properties under various
light intensities and exposure times were evaluated, using Escherichia coli as a test microorganism. The results demonstrated
that RB generates singlet oxygen as its principal ROS and has potent
antimicrobial effects when incorporated into a film, achieving a 4.4
± 0.1 log CFU reduction in E. coli after 45
h under a light intensity of 6500 lx. The film’s antimicrobial
efficacy was dependent on light intensity, with significant E. coli inactivation occurring above 2000 lx. Overall, the
RB-incorporated film effectively inactivates E. coli, providing a promising alternative to conventional antimicrobial
packaging methods.