<p>Derivatization holds huge potential for high-value utilization of cellulose by enhancing its processability and functionality. Typically, the cellulose derivatives with outstanding ultraviolet (UV) shielding properties have received great attention. Herein, a feasible method was proposed for efficiently converting regenerated cellulose to cellulose folate ester with exceptional UV shielding properties via esterification with folic acid (FA) in a homogeneous solvation system, where N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide was employed as a water absorber and 4-dimethylaminopyridine as a catalyst to facilitate the esterification reaction. The finding indicated that increased FA dosage led to enhanced UV shielding performance of cellulose folate ester films (CFEF). Notably, at FA content of 1.0 wt.%, CFEF exhibited a transmittance of 0% in the UV region and a transparency of 86% in the visible region. Moreover, CFEF was found to display superior performance in thermal stability, tensile strength and ductility over regenerated cellulose films. Based on FTIR, XRD, NMR and XPS analysis, the characteristic peaks associated with C = O band of ester were present in CFEF, supporting the successful esterification of cellulose. Overall, this work provides an eco-friendly and effective method to enhance the UV shielding abilities of cellulose, paving the way for its application in high-performance food packaging materials.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>