Microencapsulation enhances the stability and antifungal performance of lime essential oil

Researchers from Andalas University (Indonesia), An Giang University, and Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City have investigated how different wall materials influence the microencapsulation of lime essential oil (Citrus latifolia) to improve its stability and preserve its bioactive properties for food preservation and postharvest technologies.

Lime essential oil is widely recognised for its natural antioxidant and antifungal compounds. However, its high volatility and sensitivity to heat, light and oxygen reduce its stability and limit its industrial application.

To overcome these challenges, the research team used spray-drying technology with different wall formulations, including maltodextrin alone and combinations of maltodextrin with whey protein, gum arabic and Tween 80.

The study demonstrated that wall composition plays a critical role in encapsulation efficiency, physicochemical characteristics and the preservation of biological activity.

Among the tested formulations, maltodextrin combined with gum arabic and maltodextrin with whey protein achieved the highest encapsulation efficiencies, providing greater protection against essential oil degradation.

The maltodextrin–gum arabic formulation exhibited the strongest antifungal activity against Fusarium equiseti, maintaining more than 50% growth inhibition for up to 96 hours.

Meanwhile, the maltodextrin–whey formulation delivered the highest antioxidant performance, reaching a DPPH radical scavenging activity of 28.49%.

According to the researchers, microencapsulation effectively preserves the functional properties of lime essential oil while improving its stability, supporting its use as a natural ingredient for food preservation and sustainable postharvest technologies.

Source

Dao, V. T. T., Khang, T. N., Anwar, A., & Anggraini, T. (2026). Effect of Wall Materials on Microencapsulation of Lime Oil (Citrus latifolia). Journal of Global Innovations in Agricultural and Social Sciences. https://www.jgiass.com/storage/uploads/inpress/Effect-of-Wall-Materials-on-Microencapsulation-of-Lime-Oil-(Citrus-latifolia)-.pdf