Essential-oil capsule preparation and its application in food preservation: A review

In recent years, plant essential oil (EO) is considered a potential food preservative because of its antibacterial and antioxidant properties. High safety and natural are the main advantages of its application. However, the direct use of EO has many limitations, such as low water solubility, high volatility, high sensitivity to the environment and strong odor. Therefore, encapsulating EOs to form a capsule-like substance is an effective way to protect the activity of EOs. Encapsulation could improve the stability of bioactive compounds, and endow EO with sustained-release characteristics which could extend the actuation duration. Except for playing an antibacterial role, the use of EOs as preservatives in food preservation also helps to protect or improve certain physicochemical properties of food to maintain the overall quality of food. This review classifies and summarizes the encapsulation methods, wall materials and effects of several EOs with strong antimicrobial activity, and clarifies the factors that affect the release of EOs from capsules. The application of EO capsules in food preservation and their various forms of preservation are also summarized to provide more references for future research.