Microencapsulation Strategies for Essential Oils - A Review

Throughout history the main aims of microencapsulation of essential oils has been to protect them against degradation caused by environmental factors, improve their solubility end efficacy, mask or enhance their taste, turn them into stable compounds and ensure their release with specific mechanisms suggested by the microcapsule shell and core characteristics. Essential oil microencapsulation processes are commonly based on the principle of oil-in-water (o/w)-emulsion formulation and subsequent conversion into a solid form by different technological methods. With this aim, various technologies have been examined for microcapsule preparation including complex coacervation, spray-drying and interfacial polycondensation. This article reviews the current state of the art in essential oil microencapsulation techniques focusing on process-related aspects of both well-established and more advanced technologies.