Electrospun polyvinyl alcohol/cinnamon essential oilffi-cyclodextrin (PVA/CEO/P-CD) antimicrobial nanofibrous film with average diameter 240 +/- 40 nm was successfully fabricated under the optimal conditions. The data of attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that CEO was encapsulated into beta-CD cavity and there existed molecular interaction among PVA, CEO and beta-CD, which enhanced the thermal stability of CEO. Water contact angle analysis showed that addition of CEO/beta-CD made the nanofibrous film more hydrophilic. The PVA/CEO/beta-CD nanofibrous film exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity, and its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was approximate 0.9-1 mg/mL (corresponding CEO concentration 8.9-9.9 mu g/mL) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was approximate 7-8 mg/mL (corresponding CEO concentration 693-79.2 mu g/mL). Furthermore, the mild electrospinning process was favorable for maintaining greater CEO in the film resulting in an improved antimicrobial activity compared with that of casting film. In addition, the PVA/CEO/beta-CD nanofibrous film can effectively prolong the shelf-life of strawberry, indicating it is potential for the application in active food packaging. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.