Active　compounds　were　usually　incorporated　into　biopolymer　films　to　enhance　their　properties.　The　tensile　strength　(TS)　and　elongation　at　break　(EAB)　of　the　gelatin　composite　films　increased　along　with　the　addition　of　ε-polylysine　(ε-PL)　and　zinc　oxide　nanoparticles　(nano-ZnO).　When　the　concentrations　of　ε-PL　and　nano-ZnO　were　4%　and　0.5%,　TS　and　EAB　reached　to　the　maximum　which　were　53.98　±　2.61　MPa　and　16.05　±　1.76%.　The　water　vapor　permeability,　water　solubility,　and　water　content　of　the　composite　films　decreased　from　2.01　±　0.04　10−10　g　m−1Pa−1　s−1　to　1.56　±　0.07　×　10−10g　m−1　Pa−1　s−1,　from　45.23　±　1.54%　to　31.39　±　1.24%　and　from　23.89　±　1.41%　to　17.34　±　2.61%,　respectively,　compared　with　gelatin　film.　The　light　barrier　capacity　of　the　composite　film　was　improved.　The　surface　of　the　film　was　relatively　smooth,　and　the　cross-section　was　overall　flat.　FTIR　results　indicated　that　no　chemical　reaction　occurred　among　ε-PL,　nano-ZnO　and　gelatin.　The　chemical　structure　of　the　films　remained　unchanged　throughout　the　heat-sealing　process.　Moreover,　the　gelatin　films　containing　ε-PL　and　nano-ZnO　showed　excellent　antibacterial　activity.　Our　findings　suggest　that　the　gelatin　composite　films　with　antibacterial　property　hold　promise　for　the　application　in　food　packaging　materials.　©　2024　The　Author(s).　eFood　published　by　John　Wiley　&　Sons　Australia,　Ltd　on　behalf　of　International　Association　of　Dietetic　Nutrition　and　Safety.