Protein‐Stabilized Copper Nanoclusters for Microbial Inhibition‐Enabled Fresh Produce Preservation and Pesticide Removal

Abstract

ABSTRACT Fresh produce safety is compromised by microbial spoilage and pesticide residues, posing global health risks and economic losses. Although metal nanoclusters (NCs) offer promising functionalities, their composition‐dependent activity remains underexplored. Here, bovine serum albumin (BSA)‐stabilized Au, Ag, and Cu NCs are designed as biocompatible cleaning agents. Crucially, only Cu@BSA NCs exhibit exceptional broad‐spectrum antimicrobial activity (99.94% bacterial elimination), attributed to the release of Cu ions and the generation of reactive oxygen species within microbial cells. Concurrently, the BSA shell enables efficient pesticide adsorption via multiple non‐covalent interactions. In practical application, a rapid washing of cherry tomatoes with a Cu@BSA NCs solution extends their shelf life 2.50‐fold by suppressing microbial growth, whereas a 4‐min Cu@BSA NCs soak removes 95.35% pesticide residues from cherry tomato surfaces. Residual copper levels post‐rinsing (0.20 mg kg −1 ) fall significantly below safety thresholds (≤ 10.00 mg kg −1 ). This work provides a novel dual‐functional strategy to address microbial spoilage and pesticide contamination simultaneously.