Encapsulation of lemongrass essential oil in cyclodextrins and maltodextrin: Antioxidant, antimicrobial and release studies

• Twenty encapsulated lemongrass essential oils were successfully produced. • Cyclodextrins and maltodextrin showed as potential hosts of lemongrass EO. • Materials showed good antioxidant/antimicrobial performance. • Nine different encapsulated materials showed enhanced properties • γ-Cdx3:EO1 capsules showed the highest antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Essential oils (EOs), particularly lemongrass essential oil (LgEO), have shown great potential for food preservation and packaging due to their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. This study focuses on the development of eco-sustainable materials with antioxidant and antimicrobial functionalities by encapsulating LgEO using α-, β-, and γ-cyclodextrins (α-, β-, and γ-Cdx), and maltodextrin (MD) as host polymers. The encapsulated materials were evaluated for their antioxidant activity using spectrophotometric methods, while antimicrobial efficiency against common spoilage pathogen ( Botrytis cinerea and Penicillium spp) was determined, as well as their ability to release active compounds. Results showed that γ-Cdx:LgEO capsules (3:1 ratio) exhibited the highest antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, along with good encapsulation efficiency (78 ± 3%) and loading capacity (57 ± 3%). This encapsulation strategy with γ-Cdx:LgEO provides a promising approach for enhancing food packaging materials, contributing to extend food shelf life while promoting environmental sustainability.